Flinders Aggregation Site #3

Flinders Aggregation Site #3 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) carbon project located in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia, approximately 12km west of the historic township of Blinman. Registered in September 2023, the project covers a significant area of 20,635 hectares within the Pastoral Unincorporated Area. The site is positioned between the rugged ridgelines of the ranges and the plains towards Parachilna, a region traditionally dominated by pastoral sheep grazing and increasing nature-based tourism.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, which focuses on restoring native forest cover through changes in land management rather than planting new trees. Specifically, the project aims to regenerate permanent even-aged native forests from in-situ seed sources, rootstock, and lignotubers. To achieve this, the proponent, Terra Carbon Pty Limited (a subsidiary of GreenCollar), implements activities to reduce suppression triggers. This primarily involves managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing to allow vegetation to recover and implementing humane control measures for feral animals, particularly goats, which are a prevalent issue in the Flinders Ranges environment.

The environmental context of the site is characterized by the semi-arid climate of the Flinders Ranges. While rainfall is generally low and variable, often averaging between 200mm to 300mm annually, the elevation of the ranges creates a moisture corridor that supports hardier native vegetation compared to the surrounding arid plains. The soils in this location are typically skeletal and loamy on the ridges, transitioning to calcareous loams and red duplex soils in the valleys and flats. These conditions support native vegetation such as Mulga (Acacia aneura), Cypress Pine (Callitris), and various Eucalypt species which the project aims to regenerate.

An interesting aspect of this project is its inclusion in an "Aggregation," suggesting it is part of a broader portfolio of properties managed together to achieve economies of scale in carbon abatement. Terra Carbon, the proponent, is a well-established entity in the Australian carbon market and part of the GreenCollar Group, the largest environmental markets investor in Australia. This project contributes to a growing trend in the South Australian pastoral zone where land managers diversify income by integrating carbon farming with traditional pastoral activities.