Wootoonatoo carbon + biodiversity pilot project ID 1176

Wootoonatoo carbon + biodiversity pilot project ID 1176 is an environmental planting project located approximately 25 kilometers north of Port Lincoln on the Lower Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. Registered in March 2022, the project covers 18.15 hectares of land previously used for agricultural purposes, such as grazing or cropping.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM methodology. This involves establishing permanent plantings of mixed native tree species, such as eucalypts and acacias, at densities sufficient to achieve forest cover. As a participant in the Australian Government's Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot, the project is designed to generate both Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) for carbon sequestration and additional cash payments for biodiversity outcomes. This pilot scheme aims to test market mechanisms that reward farmers for restoring native vegetation.

The Lower Eyre Peninsula region typically experiences a Mediterranean climate with a winter-dominant rainfall of approximately 500mm to 600mm, making it one of the more reliable agricultural districts in the state. The soils in the vicinity of the project area (near Wanilla) are generally characterized as ironstone gravels and sandy loams over clay. These conditions support the diverse mix of local native species required by the project's planting protocols.

An interesting feature of this project is its listing on the PLANR (Nature Repair Market) marketplace, where it has been identified as a seller of "Biodiversity + Carbon" outcomes. This highlights its role in the emerging environmental markets that bundle carbon abatement with habitat restoration.