Cooreel-Environmental Planting Project

Cooreel-Environmental Planting Project is a permanent environmental planting initiative located near Wards River in the Mid-Coast region of New South Wales, approximately 20km south of Gloucester and 60km inland from the coast. Registered on January 24, 2024, the project covers 39.42 hectares of land that was historically used for agricultural purposes, such as beef cattle grazing or dairying. The site sits within the Manning River catchment, an area characterized by rolling hills and significant rural activity.

Operating under the 2014 FullCAM methodology, the project involves establishing a permanent mix of native tree and shrub species on land that has been cleared of forest cover for at least five years. Rather than measuring tree growth manually, carbon sequestration is estimated using the FullCAM computer model, which accounts for local climate and soil conditions. This method typically requires planting densities sufficient to achieve forest cover (generally over 200 stems per hectare) and aims to restore biodiversity while generating Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).

The region benefits from a humid subtropical climate with high annual rainfall, averaging around 1,100mm, which supports rapid vegetation establishment. The local terrain often features Kurosols, soils with a distinct contrast between sandy or loamy topsoil and clay subsoil, and Ferrosols, which are common in the Gloucester subregion and known for their agricultural productivity.

The project is managed by Carbon Fix Pty Limited, a proponent with local offices in the Hunter Valley and Southern Tablelands. Carbon Fix specializes in projects within high-rainfall zones, often working with landholders to integrate carbon farming into existing agricultural operations by revegetating less productive or strategic pockets of land for shelter and income diversification.