Canegrass Station Carbon Sequestration Project using the HIR Method

Canegrass Station Carbon Sequestration Project using the HIR Method is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located at Canegrass Station, approximately 70km northeast of Morgan and 250km northeast of Adelaide in South Australia. It was registered in April 2021 and covers a vast project area of 48,019.02 ha.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects establish permanent native forests through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, such as rootstock and lignotubers. These projects take place on land that was previously cleared of vegetation and where regrowth has been suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project commencing. Standard requirements involve altering land management practices to remove these suppressors and allow for natural regeneration, which includes controlling the timing and extent of livestock grazing, managing non-native plants, and humanely managing feral animals.

The Canegrass Station area, located in the bluebush country near South Australia's Riverland region, is traditionally known for large-scale pastoralism, primarily grazing for sheep and goats. The environment is semi-arid, experiencing a low historical average rainfall of approximately 241mm annually. The soils in this specific pastoral zone are typically sandy loams and calcareous soils.

Interestingly, Canegrass Station is well-known for its highly engineered, low-labour pastoral setup and has held an organic licence for sheep and goats since 2007. Over 60% of the property was strategically destocked for 14 years prior to its sale in 2019, providing an immediate feed opportunity and perfectly aligning with the HIR method's requirement to suppress grazing pressures. Additionally, the project's proponent, From Nature Pastoral Company, is associated with producing premium lamb that has been featured in regional Riverland gourmet recipes and sourced from commercial operations like Glen Park Whites.