Darling River Conservation Initiative Site #8

Darling River Conservation Initiative Site #8 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on the "Everdale" pastoral station, approximately 110 to 140 kilometers west-south-west of the major service center of Cobar, New South Wales. Registered on May 20, 2019, the project covers a total area of 14,596.40 hectares. The property sits within the Cobar Peneplain bioregion, an area historically utilized for extensive grazing of sheep and goats.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) methodology, which differs from environmental planting. Instead of planting seedlings, HIR projects rely on regenerating native forests from in-situ seed sources (such as rootstock and lignotubers) found in the soil. To achieve this, the project proponent must manage suppressors that previously prevented regrowth, most notably by controlling the timing and extent of grazing and managing feral animals.

Environmentally, the region is classified as semi-arid, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 300mm. The terrain at Everdale is characterized by flat, soft red sandy loam soils and red earths, typical of the Western Division of NSW. The vegetation includes open shrublands interspersed by watercourses and ridges featuring Mulga (Acacia aneura), Rosewood, and Eucalypt species.

The project is managed by Terra Carbon Pty Limited, a subsidiary of the environmental markets developer GreenCollar. Specific on-ground activities reported for this site include the installation of Total Grazing Pressure (TGP) fencing to subdivide paddocks and the active removal of feral goats to reduce pressure on the recovering vegetation. Interestingly, credits from this project have been linked to "Round Theory," a carbon-positive wine brand that offsets its emissions by supporting Australian conservation initiatives.