Western Australia Rangelands Conservation Initiative Site 9

Western Australia Rangelands Conservation Initiative Site 9 is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located in the Upper Gascoyne region of Western Australia, approximately 170km east of Gascoyne Junction and 220km northwest of Meekatharra. It was registered in November 2020 and covers a vast 338,027.73 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects involve establishing permanent, even-aged native forests by promoting natural regrowth from in-situ seed sources, which can include rootstock and lignotubers. This methodology requires that the land was historically cleared of vegetation and that its natural regrowth had been suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project commencing. To achieve standard HIR requirements, typically reaching a forest canopy cover of at least 20% and trees growing to a height of 2 metres, the project relies on specific management activities. For this site, the core activities include the careful management of the timing and extent of livestock grazing, as well as the humane management of feral animals, both of which act as suppressors to native plant regeneration.

The Upper Gascoyne area is predominantly known for large-scale pastoralism (mostly sheep and cattle grazing on vast station country), alongside mining exploration and outback tourism. The region's environment is classified as semi-arid to arid, experiencing very low and highly variable annual rainfall. The soils supporting the rangelands are typically characterized by red sandy earths, shallow stony soils over hardpan, and red loams.

An interesting development in this project's history occurred in January 2026, when the project underwent a variation of proponent. Management transitioned from Terra Carbon Pty Limited to Mercuria Commodity Markets (Asia) Pte. Ltd, highlighting the growing involvement of international commodity trading firms in securing large-scale Australian carbon assets.