Grandview Carbon and Biodiversity Project

The Grandview Carbon and Biodiversity Project is an environmental planting project located near the rural locality of Oura, approximately 25 kilometers northeast of the major regional city of Wagga Wagga in New South Wales. Registered on March 10, 2023, the project covers a total area of 75.05 hectares. The site is situated within the Riverina region, specifically the South West Slopes, an area traditionally dominated by mixed farming operations including sheep and cattle grazing as well as cereal cropping.

The project operates under the "Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM" methodology. This involves establishing permanent plantings of native tree species on land that has been used for agricultural purposes for at least five years prior to the project's commencement. Unlike commercial forestry, the primary objective is to sequester carbon by restoring permanent native forest cover. These projects typically require planting at a stocking density sufficient to achieve a forest canopy (often defined as having the potential to reach at least 20% crown cover and a height of 2 meters).

Environmentally, the Oura and Wagga Wagga region is characterized by a temperate climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 570mm to 614mm, which is generally distributed evenly throughout the year with a slight winter dominance. The soils in this part of the South West Slopes are typically Red Chromosols (red earths) and clay loams, which are well-suited to the native mixed-species plantings proposed by the project.

An interesting note regarding this project is its specific naming convention including "Biodiversity." While the primary financial mechanism is the generation of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) through carbon sequestration, the inclusion of "Biodiversity" suggests a specific intent to restore local habitat corridors, likely utilising a diverse mix of flora native to the Riverina to support local wildlife alongside the carbon benefits.