Barnato Regeneration Project

The Barnato Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on "Barnato Station," approximately 80 kilometers west of Cobar in New South Wales. Registered in March 2022, the project covers a substantial area of 16,397 hectares within the Cobar Shire. The region is situated on the Cobar Peneplain, an area traditionally characterized by rangeland grazing for sheep and cattle. The property itself has a long history in the Australian wool industry, with records of station operations dating back to the late 19th century.

HIR projects in this region focus on restoring native forest cover by ceasing activities that suppress regrowth, such as mechanical clearing or intense grazing. By managing the timing and extent of grazing, the project aims to allow native vegetation, likely Mulga (Acacia aneura), Bimble Box, and White Cypress Pine, to regenerate from in-situ seed sources and rootstock. This method requires the forest to reach specific canopy cover and height benchmarks to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).

The environment at Barnato is classified as semi-arid to arid, with low and variable rainfall patterns typical of the Far West region of NSW. The soils are predominantly red earths and sandy loams (Chromosols), which are characteristic of the Mulga Lands bioregion. Interestingly, the property features "Barnato Lake" near the homestead, a geographic feature that likely supports local biodiversity. The project is managed by proponent Carol Ann Green with the assistance of service provider Climate Friendly Pty Ltd.