Darling River Conservation Initiative Site 16

Darling River Conservation Initiative Site 16 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) carbon project located approximately 10km north-west of Enngonia and roughly 100km north of Bourke in New South Wales. Registered in September 2023, the project covers a substantial area of 54,229 hectares within the semi-arid rangelands of the Mulga Lands bioregion.

The region is characterized by flat to undulating plains with red sandy soils and massive red earths, often supporting vegetation communities dominated by Mulga (Acacia aneura) and poplar box woodlands. The climate is semi-arid with variable rainfall, typically averaging between 300mm and 400mm annually, which drives the primary land use of extensive grazing for sheep and cattle.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, which involves changing land management practices to facilitate the regeneration of native forests. Unlike environmental planting, this method does not involve planting new trees; instead, it focuses on assisting the natural regrowth of native species from in-situ seed sources and rootstock. Key activities for this site include managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing and humanely controlling feral animals, particularly goats, which are a significant suppressor of vegetation in the area. By reducing these pressures, the project aims to establish permanent even-aged native forests, sequestering carbon while improving local biodiversity and soil stability.