Woodside Native Reforestation Project - Phase 2

Woodside Native Reforestation Project - Phase 2 is an environmental planting project located approximately 30km west of Moora and 170km north of Perth in Western Australia. It was registered in August 2020 and covers 3,696.06 hectares across the Moora and Dandaragan local government areas.

Environmental planting projects involve establishing permanent plantings of a mix of native trees and shrubs that are endemic to the local area. Standard requirements for this methodology dictate that trees must be planted at a sufficient density to eventually achieve forest canopy cover, typically at least 200 stems per hectare, on land predominantly used for agricultural purposes for at least five years prior to commencement.

The surrounding Mid-West and Wheatbelt region of Western Australia is predominantly utilized for broadacre agriculture, primarily winter cropping such as wheat and canola, alongside sheep grazing. The region experiences a semi-arid, Mediterranean climate characterized by low-to-moderate, winter-dominant rainfall. Local soils typically comprise sandy loams, sand over clay duplexes, and lateritic ironstone, which are well-suited for drought-tolerant native vegetation.

This specific project is managed by Woodside Energy Carbon (Services) Pty Ltd following a proponent variation in August 2023. Locally referred to as part of the "Watheroo Aggregation" (which incorporates Phases 2, 3, and 7), it forms a foundational element of Woodside Energy’s massive corporate emissions offset strategy. Across Western Australia and New South Wales, the broader Woodside Native Reforestation initiative aims to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by planting millions of biodiverse seedlings on acquired marginal farmland. The company has partnered with local Indigenous enterprises, such as the Yued Rangers, and organizations like Greening Australia and Nativ Carbon to ensure safe and large-scale seedling installations. The project features a nominated permanence period of 100 years, ensuring the carbon stored in the growing biomass remains securely locked away.