Avondale Human Induced Regeneration Project

Avondale Human Induced Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located approximately 130km west of Bourke in north-west New South Wales. It was registered in September 2021 and covers an area of 35,442.51 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects involve establishing permanent native forests by encouraging the natural regrowth of native trees from in-situ seed sources, rootstock, and lignotubers. To achieve this, land managers must suppress factors that have degraded the land and prevented tree growth for at least the past 10 years. Standard requirements for this methodology dictate that the regenerating vegetation must have the potential to reach a minimum forest crown cover of 20% and a height of at least 2 metres. The specific project activities at Avondale involve the humane management of feral animals and controlling the timing and extent of livestock grazing.

The broader Bourke region is known for extensive pastoralism, primarily grazing merino sheep and cattle for wool and meat production. The local environment is classified as semi-arid with low, highly variable rainfall averaging around 330mm annually. Soils in this outback region generally consist of red sands, earths, and clay loams.

The Avondale property is run by Helen and Waldo Ponder, who have operated a merino sheep enterprise there for over twenty years. By utilising the supplemental income from the carbon project, the Ponders have implemented rotational grazing practices to let the land recover and funded major infrastructure improvements, including a seven-kilometre water pipeline to four paddocks and new trap yards. The property is home to a wealth of native flora like gidgee, supplejack, and leopardwood trees, which attract rich birdlife such as brolgas, wrens, and mulga parrots. The project's proponent is Terra Carbon Pty Limited, a subsidiary of GreenCollar, which is one of Australia's largest environmental market developers operating across millions of hectares.