Salisbury Downs Human-Induced Regeneration Project

Salisbury Downs Human-Induced Regeneration Project is a human-induced regeneration project located at Salisbury Downs Station, approximately 110km north of White Cliffs in the far west region of New South Wales. It was registered in August 2023 and covers a massive area of 46,248.17 hectares.

Human-induced regeneration (HIR) projects involve establishing permanent even-aged native forests through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, including rootstock and lignotubers. Standard requirements for this methodology mandate that the regeneration occurs on land that was previously cleared of vegetation, and where native regrowth was actively suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project's commencement. Forest regeneration is typically achieved by ceasing these suppressive activities; for this project, that means carefully managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing, as well as controlling feral animals in a humane manner.

The Unincorporated Far West region surrounding White Cliffs is known for large-scale sheep and cattle grazing operations across expansive pastoral leases. The environment is classified as semi-arid to arid, experiencing very low typical rainfall. The terrain and soils are primarily composed of red sand dunes interspersed with clay pans, which naturally support drought-resistant native vegetation such as mulga, cottonbush, saltbush, and Mitchell grasses.

Salisbury Downs itself is a historic pastoral lease with a rich background. Established prior to 1881, the station once spanned over a million acres and was famously acquired by the Australian "Cattle King," Sir Sidney Kidman, in 1914. Historically, the property faced severe environmental pressures from high flock numbers, dingos, and rabbits, which heavily degraded the landscape over the decades. This historical context makes the current carbon project particularly impactful, as modern feral animal control and grazing management will allow the native ecosystem to finally recover and sequester carbon.