North Stirling Downs Project

The North Stirling Downs Project is a reforestation initiative located in the "North Stirlings" locality, approximately 32km south of Gnowangerup and 100km north of Albany in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. Registered in July 2020, the project currently covers approximately 198 hectares of land that was previously dedicated to agricultural use. The project is situated near the northern edge of the Stirling Range National Park, an area characterized by broadacre cropping, producing wheat, barley, and canola, and Merino sheep grazing.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings methodology. This involves establishing permanent plantings of native tree and shrub species (often Mallee eucalypts) at a density sufficient to achieve forest cover (typically requiring potential for 20% crown cover and 2 meters height). The planting is designed to permanently store carbon in the trees' biomass while providing significant co-benefits, such as shelter for livestock and improved soil stability in a landscape often prone to salinity and wind erosion.

Environmentally, the region experiences a Mediterranean climate with a relatively low average annual rainfall of approximately 350mm, occurring predominantly in winter. The local terrain typically features flat to undulating sandplain environments with soil types ranging from sandy loams to duplex soils (sand over clay or gravel). The project proponents, Wayne and Jody Pech of North Stirling Downs Pty Ltd, are notable figures in sustainable agriculture. They have publicly committed to a "farm for the future" ethos, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality for their entire business by 2030 through sequential annual plantings.