Cassilis Environmental Reforestation Project

The Cassilis Environmental Reforestation Project is a permanent environmental planting project located near the village of Cassilis, approximately 27 kilometers west of Merriwa in the Upper Hunter region of New South Wales. Registered on November 13, 2023, the project covers 26.42 hectares of land that was previously utilized for agricultural purposes, specifically within a region renowned for mixed farming, cattle grazing, and cropping operations.

Operating under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings, FullCAM) Methodology, the project involves establishing permanent plantings of native tree species. To meet the methodology's requirements for forest cover, these plantings are typically established at a density of at least 200 stems per hectare. The objective is to sequester carbon by restoring native vegetation to land that has been clear of forest for at least five years prior to the project's commencement.

The local environment in the Cassilis district is characterized by a temperate climate with a long-term average annual rainfall of approximately 600mm to 625mm. The region sits on the Merriwa Plateau, which is often associated with fertile, basalt-derived black soils and loams that support high-productivity agriculture. An interesting aspect of this project is its proponent, Biodiverse Australia Pty Ltd, which is a Supply Nation certified Indigenous-owned environmental management consultancy, highlighting a connection between carbon farming and Indigenous business leadership in the environmental sector.