Carbon + Biodiversity project ID 1197

Carbon + Biodiversity project ID 1197 is a permanent environmental planting project located approximately 20km southeast of Condobolin in the Central West region of New South Wales. Registered in January 2023, the project covers 111 hectares of land within the Lachlan Shire Council area. The site is situated in a region traditionally dominated by mixed farming, including dryland cropping (wheat, barley) and livestock grazing (sheep and cattle), typical of the Lachlan Valley's agricultural landscape.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM methodology, which involves establishing native trees and shrubs on land that has been clear of forest for at least five years. As part of the Australian Government's Carbon + Biodiversity (C+B) Pilot, this project adheres to stricter planting protocols than standard carbon projects, requiring a diverse mix of local native species to maximize biodiversity benefits alongside carbon sequestration. To meet the definition of forest cover under the scheme, the plantings must generally achieve a density of at least 200 stems per hectare and are protected for a permanence period of 25 years.

Environmentally, the Condobolin region is classified as semi-arid to temperate, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 450mm. The soils in this area are typically red earths and clay loams, which support the native vegetation communities being restored. The project proponent, Macquarie Agricultural Funds Management No.2 Pty Limited, is a subsidiary of Macquarie Asset Management. This project is likely part of the firm's broader "natural capital" strategy, which integrates carbon and biodiversity projects into the operations of its portfolio companies, such as Paraway Pastoral Company or Viridis Ag, to lower the carbon intensity of their agricultural assets.