Wirrabilla Native Forest Protection Project

Wirrabilla Native Forest Protection Project is an avoided deforestation project located approximately 15km north of the town of Collarenebri in the Walgett Shire of northern New South Wales. Registered in January 2021, the project encompasses 7,076 hectares of land. The area is situated within the Barwon-Darling catchment, a region historically dominated by pastoral leases and agricultural development.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Avoided Deforestation 1.1) Methodology Determination 2015. This specific methodology is designed for landholders who hold a valid clearing consent (issued prior to 1 July 2010) to convert native forest into cropland or grassland. By choosing not to exercise this permit and instead protecting the forest, the project generates carbon credits based on the emissions avoided from the prevented clearing and decomposition of biomass.

Environmentally, the region is classified as semi-arid, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 500mm. The landscape is characterized by the extensive "black soil plains" typical of the area, consisting largely of cracking clay vertosols which are highly fertile but moisture-dependent. The primary land uses in the surrounding district include sheep and cattle grazing, as well as dryland cropping of wheat and cotton where water availability allows.

The project is managed by Terra Carbon Pty Limited, a subsidiary of the GreenCollar Group. A notable aspect of Avoided Deforestation projects is that the methodology was revoked for new entrants in February 2023; however, existing projects like Wirrabilla remain active. These projects are significant as they prevent the immediate release of large carbon stocks that would occur if the pre-approved agricultural conversion had taken place.