Pine Ridge Planting Project

The Pine Ridge Planting Project is an environmental planting initiative located in the Snowy Monaro region of New South Wales, approximately 30km south of Jindabyne near the Victorian border. Registered in August 2023, the project covers 408 hectares of land previously used for agricultural purposes, specifically within the locality of Ingebirah or Numbla Vale. The project area sits on the southern fringe of the Monaro Tablelands, a region historically dominated by sheep and cattle grazing due to its rolling plains and natural grasslands.

Operating under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings methodology, the project involves establishing permanent native forests using species endemic to the local area. The primary goal is to sequester carbon by restoring tree cover to land that has been cleared for at least five years. The project has nominated a 100-year permanence period, committing the land to forest cover for a century. The proponent, LRX Projects Pty Ltd, appears to be working with Covalent Land Australia, as indicated by the involvement of project contact Nikki Cronyn, a geospatial lead at the firm.

The environmental context of the Snowy Monaro is distinct, characterized by cold winters, frost, and a "rain shadow" effect that can make parts of the tablelands drier than the adjacent Snowy Mountains. Rainfall in this southern pocket typically ranges from 600mm to 800mm, supporting mixed eucalypt woodlands. The soils in the region are often derived from granite or basalt, which can be fragile but productive for forestry when managed correctly. The project aims to integrate carbon farming with the landscape, potentially offering shelter benefits for livestock or biodiversity corridors connecting to the nearby Kosciuszko National Park.