Woodside Native Reforestation Project - Phase 6

Woodside Native Reforestation Project - Phase 6 is an environmental planting project located across multiple distinct regions in New South Wales, primarily split between the Northern Tablelands near Nowendoc (approximately 65km inland from Taree) and the Snowy Monaro region near Cooma, Berridale, and Bombala. It was registered in August 2024 and currently covers 4,441.18 ha. Notably, a project variation in September 2026 removed several areas from the project, reducing it from its initially registered size of over 8,860 ha.

Environmental planting projects operating under the FullCAM methodology involve establishing permanent native vegetation on land that has been cleared of forest and used predominantly for agriculture (such as cropping or grazing) for at least five years. The standard requirements typically mandate planting local native tree and shrub species at a density of at least 200 stems per hectare to achieve forest canopy cover.

Due to the significant geographic spread of this aggregated project, environmental conditions vary notably between the sites. The Northern Tablelands area generally experiences higher rainfall and features clay or loamy soils, making it historically suitable for cattle grazing and timber operations. In contrast, the southern sites in the Monaro region are situated in a high-altitude tableland environment characterized by cold winters and granite or basalt-derived soils, known heavily for fine wool (Merino) and beef production.

This project was set up as part of Woodside Energy's broader corporate strategy to build a dedicated portfolio of carbon offsets for its own Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. The proponent has been actively acquiring agricultural properties across Australia to integrate 100-year permanent native reforestation with ongoing agricultural activities, a corporate rollout that has occasionally drawn public discussion regarding the scale of offset land use.