Darling River Conservation Initiative Site #9

Darling River Conservation Initiative Site #9 is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located approximately 105km west of Bourke in the far west region of New South Wales. It was registered in June 2019 and covers a substantial area of 35,630.70 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects involve establishing permanent, even-aged native forests through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, such as rootstock and lignotubers. The standard requirements for this methodology dictate that the project must be situated on land where vegetation was cleared and regrowth suppressed for at least 10 years. To achieve regeneration, proponents must implement new land management activities. In this case, the project involves managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing, as well as the humane management of feral animals to reduce pressure on recovering native vegetation.

The Bourke Shire is a semi-arid outback environment, typified by low rainfall and hot temperatures. Land use in this region is primarily pastoral, with large property leases dedicated to sheep and cattle grazing along the Darling River system. The soils in the broader north-west region generally consist of red chromosols, kandosols, and deep cracking clays (vertosols).

Interestingly, this site has experienced several naming variations over its history. It was originally named "The Bluff Human-Induced Regeneration Project" before a 2015 variation changed it to "Darling River Eco Corridor 23". Developed by Terra Carbon Pty Limited, Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) generated by this project have been widely procured by major Australian corporations. For instance, Ampol, AGL, and Westpac have all purchased and surrendered credits from this specific site to support their Climate Active carbon neutral certifications and corporate ESG goals.