Norma Vale Regeneration

Norma Vale Regeneration is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on the 'Norma Vale' pastoral station, approximately 50km southwest of Nymagee and 130km south of Cobar in the Cobar Shire of New South Wales. Registered in June 2022, the project covers 8,700 hectares within the vast Cobar Peneplain.

The region is traditionally dominated by rangeland grazing for sheep and cattle, often on large-scale pastoral leases. The local environment features a semi-arid climate with rainfall averaging around 350-400mm annually. The terrain is characterized by red earth and sandy loam soils (Red Chromosols/Kandosols), which typically support native vegetation such as bimble box (Eucalyptus populnea), white cypress pine, and mallee species.

This project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, which involves regenerating permanent native forests on land where vegetation growth was previously suppressed for at least 10 years. Project activities focus on the cessation of mechanical clearing and the management of grazing pressure, specifically the control of feral animals, to allow native vegetation to regenerate from in-situ seed sources like rootstock and lignotubers.

An interesting aspect of the Norma Vale property is its concurrent land use potential; public reports indicate that Peel Mining Limited has held exploration licenses (specifically EL6695) over the Norma Vale station, highlighting the intersection of carbon farming and mineral exploration in this district. A variation to the project area was processed in September 2023 to remove specific segments from the carbon estimation area.