Environmental Plantings in NPWS Reserves - Pilot Project stage 3

Environmental Plantings in NPWS Reserves - Pilot Project stage 3 is a permanent environmental planting project aggregated across multiple sites in New South Wales. Registered in October 2019, the project encompasses approximately 755 hectares of land managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). Due to its aggregated nature, the project covers diverse locations including sites near Walgett in the north-west, Braidwood in the southern tablelands, Picton and Windsor on the fringes of the Sydney basin, and Grafton on the north coast.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM methodology. This involves establishing permanent plantings of native tree species on land that was cleared of forest and used for agricultural purposes (such as grazing or cropping) for at least five years prior to the project's commencement. The primary goal is to sequester carbon by restoring native forest cover, with the carbon abatement calculated using the FullCAM model. As a pilot project, it is designed to demonstrate how carbon sequestration can be integrated into the management of the national park estate.

Given the geographic spread, the environmental conditions vary significantly across the project areas. The sites range from the semi-arid, grey clay floodplains of the Walgett region (approx. 450mm annual rainfall) to the high-rainfall, subtropical alluvial soils of the Clarence Valley near Grafton (approx. 1000mm+ rainfall). The project also includes temperate tableland environments near Braidwood and peri-urban landscapes near Sydney. This diversity allows the pilot to test sequestration outcomes across distinct climatic zones and soil types, including basalt, clay, and sandy loams.

A key feature of this project is its role in the NSW Government's "Carbon Positive by 2028" plan, which aims to sequester more carbon than the NPWS operational emissions. The project lands were likely acquired for conservation and are now being revegetated to enhance biodiversity and connect wildlife corridors, such as those in the Cattai National Park and Everlasting Swamp National Park. The project is managed with the assistance of CO2 Australia, a specialist carbon service provider.