Environmental Plantings in NPWS Reserves - Pilot Project stage 3

Environmental Plantings in NPWS Reserves - Pilot Project stage 3 is an environmental planting project located across multiple distributed sites in NSW, including locations approximately 60km north-west of Walgett, 20km south of Braidwood, and near coastal centres like Grafton. It was registered in October 2019 and covers 755.44ha.

Environmental planting projects involve planting a mix of native trees at a density of at least 200 stems per ha to establish permanent forest cover. This specific project establishes permanent plantings of local native tree species on land that was predominantly used for agricultural purposes for at least five years prior to the project's commencement.

Because the project spans from the coastal hinterlands to the north-western plains, the regional land uses and environmental conditions vary significantly. The surrounding areas are traditionally known for agricultural uses such as cattle grazing and cropping. Rainfall classifications range from high rainfall on the coast to semi-arid inland, with soil types varying from coastal sands and podzolics to inland cracking clays and sandy loams.

This project was set up to establish permanent forest cover on former agricultural land that has been acquired for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) estate. Managed in partnership with CO2 Australia, the broader NPWS carbon pilot program has drawn some debate from ecologists, who note that dense planting rates of up to 800 stems per hectare used to maximize carbon sequestration can sometimes resemble commercial plantations rather than natural open woodlands. The project underwent a variation in March 2020 to add additional areas, and another in December 2025 to update the proponent name to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.