"Morongla" Carbon + Biodiversity ID R2-1379

"Morongla" Carbon + Biodiversity ID R2-1379 is an environmental planting project located in the Riverina region of New South Wales, approximately 20km north of Narrandera and 18km south of Barellan. Registered in August 2023, the project covers nearly 96 hectares of land within the Coolamon Shire Council area. The site was previously used for agricultural purposes, consistent with the surrounding region's heavy reliance on dryland cropping and grazing operations.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings, FullCAM methodology. This involves establishing permanent native vegetation on land that has been clear of forest for at least five years. To generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), the plantings must be stocked at a density sufficient to achieve forest cover, typically defined as reaching a height of 2 meters and 20% crown cover. Because this project is part of the Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot, the planting likely follows a stricter biodiversity protocol designed by the Australian National University, ensuring a diverse mix of local native species rather than a monoculture.

The Riverina environment typically experiences a semi-arid to warm temperate climate, with annual rainfall averaging between 450mm and 500mm. The soils in this specific area are generally characteristic of the region's red-brown earths and sandy loams, which are productive for agriculture but susceptible to erosion when cleared.

A key feature of this project is its participation in Round 2 of the Australian Government’s Carbon + Biodiversity (C+B) Pilot. The "ID R2-1379" in the project name confirms it was a successful applicant in this scheme, which rewards farmers for increasing on-farm biodiversity. Under this pilot, the proponent receives cash payments for the biodiversity outcomes of the planting in addition to the carbon credits generated, effectively stacking environmental revenue streams.