Hewitt Sustainable Production System 01

Hewitt Sustainable Production System 01 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 170km northwest of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Registered in September 2023, this massive project covers an impressive 1,101,459 hectares, encompassing the well-known "Narwietooma Aggregation" of pastoral properties.

The Human-Induced Regeneration methodology focuses on restoring native forests by suppressing activities that prevent regrowth, rather than planting new trees. The standard requirement for this method is to manage the land, primarily through controlling the timing and extent of cattle grazing and removing feral animals, to allow native vegetation to reach "forest cover." This is defined as vegetation capable of attaining a height of at least 2 meters and a canopy cover of 20%.

The project area lies within the MacDonnell Region of Central Australia, an area predominantly used for extensive cattle grazing on pastoral leases. The environment is classified as semi-arid to arid, characterized by low and variable rainfall (typically 200–300mm annually). The terrain typically features red sandy soils, mulga scrub, and stony lithosols associated with the foothills of the West MacDonnell Ranges.

A notable aspect of this project is its proponent, Hewitt Agribusiness, which is one of the world's largest producers of organic red meat. The project area likely aggregates several historic stations, including Narwietooma, Glen Helen, Derwent, and Napperby, which Hewitt acquired to expand their organic supply chain. This carbon project operates alongside their commercial beef operations, aiming to demonstrate how grazing management can coexist with large-scale landscape regeneration.