South Australian Conservation Alliance Site #5

South Australian Conservation Alliance Site #5 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on Sturt Vale Station, a large pastoral property in the North East Pastoral district of South Australia. Situated approximately 125km northeast of Burra and generally south-east of Yunta, the project area covers an expansive 137,330 hectares. The project was registered on June 11, 2021, and is operated by Sturt Vale Pastoral, a family of third-generation pastoralists, with Terra Carbon Pty Limited acting as the proponent (associated with the GreenCollar group).

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) methodology. This method credits carbon abatement achieved by regenerating native forest on land where vegetation growth was historically suppressed, usually by livestock or feral animals. To be eligible, the land must have been cleared or suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project. For Sturt Vale, the regeneration strategy focuses on managing the timing and extent of grazing, as well as the humane control of feral animals (likely goats, which are prevalent in the region).

Environmentally, the region is classified as semi-arid to arid, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 208mm. The landscape is typical of the South Australian pastoral zone, characterized by Chenopod shrublands, Acacia woodlands (such as Mulga), and ephemeral watercourses. The soils in this district are generally calcareous earths or red duplex soils, which are fragile and susceptible to erosion if vegetation cover is lost.

A notable aspect of this project is its integration with active pastoral operations. Rather than destocking entirely, the project utilizes carbon revenue to fund significant infrastructure upgrades, including over 200km of new fencing and improved water reticulation (piping and dam yards). These improvements allow the station managers to practice rotational grazing, which reduces total grazing pressure and facilitates the recovery of native vegetation from in-situ seed sources like rootstock and lignotubers.