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 Monaro region in the Snowy Mountains near Cooma and Bombala. It was registered in August 2024 and covers a massive total area of 8,860.56 hectares.

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 grazing or cropping, for at least five years prior to commencement. The standard requirements typically mandate planting native tree and shrub species at a density sufficient to achieve forest cover, which is generally over 200 stems per hectare.

Due to the significant geographic spread of this aggregated project, environmental conditions vary notably between the sites. The Northern Tablelands area near Nowendoc generally experiences higher rainfall and features clay or loamy soils, making the region 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. This southern region has a long history of fine wool (Merino) and beef production.

An interesting note about this project is that it is part of Woodside Energy's broader corporate strategy to offset its own Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Woodside has been actively acquiring land across Australia to build a dedicated portfolio of carbon offsets, often seeking to integrate reforestation with ongoing agricultural activities. Phase 6 represents a continuation of this multi-phase corporate rollout, following earlier projects established in Western Australia and other parts of NSW, and it has a nominated permanence period of 100 years.