Restoring Murray Woodlands 031 Biodiversity and Carbon Project

Restoring Murray Woodlands 031 Biodiversity and Carbon Project is an environmental planting initiative located in the rural locality of Moorwatha, approximately 35 kilometers northwest of Albury in the Riverina region of New South Wales. Registered on June 4, 2024, the project covers a specific area of 10.43 hectares within the Greater Hume Shire. The region is predominantly agricultural, well-regarded for mixed farming operations that include cereal cropping, oilseeds, and livestock grazing (sheep and cattle).

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM methodology. This method is designed to sequester carbon by establishing permanent plantings of native tree and shrub species on land that has been used for agricultural purposes for at least the preceding five years. To generate credits, the plantings must be of species native to the local area and planted at densities sufficient to achieve forest cover (typically a minimum of 200 stems per hectare) and a height of at least 2 meters.

Environmentally, the Moorwatha district is situated on the South West Slopes, transitioning into the Riverina plains. The area typically experiences a temperate climate with an average annual rainfall between 550mm and 650mm. The soils in this region are generally Red Chromosols or Red Kandosols, red-brown earths and clay loams that are productive for agriculture but benefit significantly from the stabilization provided by deep-rooted native vegetation.

A significant aspect of this project is its participation in the "Restoring Murray Woodlands" Biodiversity and Carbon Tender, a joint initiative by the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) and the Clean Energy Regulator. This program is designed to restore threatened ecological communities, such as Box-Gum Grassy Woodlands and Inland Grey Box Woodlands. Through this tender, the proponent, WARRANGEE (MOORWATHA) PTY. LTD., likely integrates carbon revenue with conservation payments to protect and extend habitat for local fauna like the Squirrel Glider and Superb Parrot.