Dan Wildy Reforestation Project

The Dan Wildy Reforestation Project is a reforestation initiative located in the Shire of Koorda, approximately 40 kilometres north of the town of Koorda in the Western Australian Wheatbelt. Registered in July 2023, the project covers a significant area of roughly 860 hectares. The region is heavily utilized for dryland agriculture, specifically broadacre cropping of wheat and canola, alongside sheep grazing.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings methodology. This method involves establishing permanent native forests on land that was previously cleared for agriculture. To generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), the plantings must achieve "forest cover" status, defined as trees reaching a height of at least 2 metres and a canopy cover of 20% across the site. The specific inclusion of "Mallee Plantings" in the method title highlights its suitability for lower rainfall zones (typically under 600mm annually), where drought-tolerant Mallee eucalypts are planted to sequester carbon and often to manage soil salinity.

Environmentally, the site sits within a semi-arid Mediterranean climate zone, characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters with low annual rainfall. The soils in this part of the Wheatbelt are often ancient, weathered sandy loams or duplex soils, which can be susceptible to salinity, a key driver for revegetation efforts in the area.

A notable aspect of this project is its namesake and apparent lead, Dr. Dan Wildy. He is a recognised expert in the field who holds a PhD in broadacre low-rainfall reforestation and directs Woodland Services, a company specialising in this exact type of environmental restoration. This suggests the project is underpinned by significant scientific and practical expertise regarding the establishment of native vegetation in challenging dryland environments.