North Stirling Downs Project

North Stirling Downs Project is an environmental planting project located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, specifically near the town of Gnowangerup, approximately 100km north of Albany. Registered in July 2020, the project covers approximately 198 hectares of land that was previously used for agricultural purposes. The project is part of a larger 13,000-hectare mixed farming enterprise operated by the Pech family, which combines cropping and sheep grazing.

The project operates under the "Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM" methodology. This involves establishing permanent plantings of native tree or mallee species on land that has been clear of forest for at least five years. To generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), the plantings must be established at a stocking density sufficient to achieve forest cover, typically requiring at least 200 to 400 stems per hectare depending on the specific species and arrangement. The carbon sequestration is modelled using the FullCAM software rather than direct physical measurement.

Regionally, the Gnowangerup area is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with predominantly winter rainfall, averaging around 300mm annually. The landscape typically features flat to undulating plains with soils that are often grey deep sandy duplexes, sandy gravels, or clays common to the Western Australian Wheatbelt. These environmental conditions are suitable for the native mallee and woodland species selected for the planting, which are adapted to the dry summers and distinct wet winters.

The North Stirling Downs operation is a prominent example of integrating carbon farming with traditional agriculture. The proponents, Wayne and Jody Pech, have publicly discussed their goal of achieving carbon neutrality for their business. The planting not only sequesters carbon but can also provide shelter for their merino sheep flock and improve land management on less productive soil types. The project area was adjusted in September 2024 to remove certain areas, likely refining the project boundary to match successful establishment zones.