NT Cattle Conservation HIR Project #02142022 IDR

NT Cattle Conservation HIR Project #02142022 IDR is a large-scale Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 160km south of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. The project is situated on Idracowra Station, a vast pastoral lease covering approximately 466,035 hectares along the Stuart Highway and the ephemeral Finke River. Registered in December 2022, the project focuses on regenerating native woodland across an eligible area of roughly 171,000 hectares within the property.

The Human-Induced Regeneration methodology focuses on restoring native forest cover on land where vegetation has been suppressed for at least 10 years, typically by agricultural activities. Unlike tree planting projects, HIR relies on the natural seed bank already present in the soil. To succeed, the project proponent must remove the "suppressors" preventing regrowth, in this case, by managing the timing and extent of cattle grazing and controlling feral animals such as camels and horses.

The region is characterized by an arid, semi-desert climate with highly variable rainfall, averaging roughly 200–250mm annually. The landscape features extensive sandplains and dune fields dominated by red siliceous sands and red earths (Kandosols and Tenosols), interspersed with mulga woodlands and spinifex. The presence of the Finke River provides distinct alluvial soil zones that support different vegetation corridors compared to the surrounding sandy rangelands.

This project was initiated following the acquisition of the station by new landholders in late 2019, who sought to diversify the property's income streams beyond traditional cattle grazing. A significant component of the project's activity involves the humane management of feral herbivores, including unmanaged cattle, horses, and camels, which historically caused significant degradation to the local vegetation. By reducing this grazing pressure, the project aims to allow the native Mulga and associated species to regenerate into permanent forest cover.