Barnato Regeneration Project

Barnato Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located at the Barnato locality, approximately 80km west of Cobar in western NSW. It was registered in March 2022 and covers 16,397.11ha.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects generate carbon credits by implementing new land management practices that allow native vegetation to regenerate on land where it was previously suppressed. The standard requirements involve ceasing destructive activities such as mechanical clearing, feral animal activity, or overgrazing. The Barnato Regeneration Project specifically focuses on establishing permanent native forests through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources (such as rootstock and lignotubers) on land that was cleared or where regrowth was suppressed for at least 10 years prior. To achieve this, the project actively manages the timing and extent of livestock grazing to allow the forest cover to safely re-establish.

The Cobar region is known for extensive pastoralism, mainly sheep, cattle, and rangeland goat grazing, as well as significant base metal and gold mining operations. The area is characterised by a semi-arid climate with low, highly variable rainfall averaging a median of around 390mm annually. Soils in the region generally consist of red sand, loam, laterite, and limestone.

Barnato Station has a long pastoral history dating back to the late 19th century. Today, operating a carbon farming project alongside standard grazing allows the proponents to earn an alternative income stream while rehabilitating the degraded semi-arid landscape and improving local biodiversity.