Courtfield Environmental Planting Project

Courtfield Environmental Planting Project is an environmental planting project located in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, approximately 20 kilometers northwest of the town of Kyogle. Registered in December 2022, the project covers 201 hectares of land in a region historically dominated by beef cattle grazing, dairy farming, and timber production. The site is situated near the border of the Kyogle Council area, likely in the vicinity of the Grevillia or Findon Creek localities, nestled within the foothills of the Border Ranges.

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 was previously cleared for agricultural use for at least five years. The methodology requires planting at a density sufficient to achieve forest cover (typically over 200 stems per hectare), using species indigenous to the local area to ensure ecological suitability.

The Kyogle region is characterized by a subtropical climate with high rainfall and fertile, often basaltic soils derived from ancient volcanic activity. These conditions support rapid vegetation growth, making the area highly suitable for carbon sequestration projects. The planting likely consists of a mix of wet sclerophyll and rainforest species typical of the "Big Scrub" remnants found in this biodiversity hotspot. Beyond carbon abatement, such projects in this area often aim to restore habitat connectivity for threatened species like the koala and improve water quality in the Richmond River catchment.