Greening Australia and Canopy Nature Based Solutions: SA Restoration Program 2025

Greening Australia and Canopy Nature Based Solutions: SA Restoration Program 2025 is an environmental planting project registered in August 2024. The project operates across two distinct regions in South Australia: the Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. The first project area is located near Sheringa, approximately 120km northwest of Port Lincoln, while the second area is situated near American River, roughly 25km southeast of Kingscote on Kangaroo Island. Together, these sites cover a total area of approximately 2,720 hectares.

The project utilizes the "Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM" methodology. This involves establishing permanent plantings of native tree and shrub species on land previously used for agricultural purposes, such as grazing or cropping, for at least five years. The plantings must meet specific stocking densities, typically at least 200 stems per hectare, to achieve forest cover and sequester carbon. As a project by Canopy Nature Based Solutions (a subsidiary of Greening Australia), the initiative likely focuses on generating high-integrity Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) alongside biodiversity co-benefits.

The environmental conditions vary significantly between the two locations. The Sheringa site on the Eyre Peninsula is characterized by a semi-arid to Mediterranean climate with lower rainfall (approximately 350-400mm annually) and soils that are often sandy, calcareous, or shallow over limestone. In contrast, the Kangaroo Island site enjoys a wetter Mediterranean climate (annual rainfall exceeding 500mm) with soils that typically include ironstone gravels, sandy loams, and clays. The region surrounding Sheringa is predominantly used for cereal cropping and sheep grazing, whereas the American River area supports a mix of grazing, forestry, and conservation land.

This project appears to be part of a broader annual rolling program by Greening Australia and Canopy, following similar "National Reforestation Program" projects registered in 2023 and 2024. The specific "SA Restoration Program" branding suggests a targeted effort within South Australia to restore degraded agricultural landscapes, improve connectivity for native wildlife, and provide diversified income streams for landholders through carbon finance.