Darling River Conservation Initiative Site 17

Darling River Conservation Initiative Site 17 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located in the remote Western Division of New South Wales, approximately 115km east of Wilcannia and 125km west of Cobar. Registered in September 2023, the project covers a significant area of 24,170 hectares. The region is traditionally dominated by rangeland grazing, specifically for sheep, goats, and cattle, which serves as the primary historical land use prior to the implementation of carbon farming activities.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve regenerating native forests by managing the factors that suppress regrowth, rather than through active tree planting. In this context, the project proponent, Terra Carbon Pty Limited, facilitates regeneration primarily by controlling the timing and extent of livestock grazing and managing feral animals. The methodology requires that the land has been suppressed of forest cover for at least 10 years and has the potential to regenerate native trees, such as Mulga or Poplar Box, to a density of 20% canopy cover at a height of 2 meters.

The environmental setting for Site 17 is characterized by a semi-arid climate with low and variable rainfall. The landscape typically features red earth and sandy loam soils, often classified as Kandosols or Calcarosols, which support drought-hardy native vegetation. The project is part of a broader portfolio of "Darling River Conservation Initiative" sites managed by Terra Carbon, which aggregates multiple properties across the region to create landscape-scale conservation corridors. Terra Carbon itself is notable for being a Certified B Corporation, indicating a legal commitment to balancing profit with purpose.