Woodside Native Reforestation Project - Phase 1

Woodside Native Reforestation Project - Phase 1 is a large-scale environmental planting project located in the Great Southern and Wheatbelt regions of Western Australia. The project spans multiple properties, with key sites situated approximately 5km northwest of Pingrup and 5km southeast of Cranbrook (roughly 300km to 360km southeast of Perth). Registered in February 2020, this phase covers 2,945 hectares of land that was previously used for agricultural purposes, such as broadacre cropping and sheep grazing.

The project operates under the "Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings" methodology. This involves establishing permanent native vegetation on land that has been clear of forest cover for at least five years. The primary activity is planting a mix of native tree and shrub species at a density sufficient to reach forest canopy cover requirements (typically 20% crown cover). Unlike commercial forestry, these plantings are permanent and not intended for harvest, serving primarily as a carbon sink and biodiversity habitat.

The environmental conditions across the project area vary significantly due to the distance between the properties. The Pingrup site lies in a semi-arid zone with lower rainfall (approx. 350mm annually), featuring sandy duplex or clay soils often susceptible to salinity and wind erosion. The Cranbrook site enjoys a higher rainfall Mediterranean climate (approx. 500-600mm), supporting more robust vegetation growth. The region is traditionally the heartland of Western Australia's grain and wool industry.

This project represents a direct investment by Woodside Energy to generate its own Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) for offsetting its corporate emissions. Woodside has partnered with organizations like Greening Australia to execute the planting, notably focusing on ecological co-benefits such as restoring habitat for threatened species like the Malleefowl and Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo. It is the first phase of a broader portfolio that has since expanded into other areas like Moora and Dandaragan.