Cooksvale East Reforestation Project

Cooksvale East Reforestation Project is an environmental planting project located in Peelwood within the Upper Lachlan Shire of New South Wales, approximately 55km from Crookwell and 99km from Goulburn. It was registered on May 14, 2025, and initially covered 222.11 hectares.

Environmental planting projects operate under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings methodology. This project type involves establishing and maintaining a permanent, mixed-species forest cover on land that was previously cleared for agriculture. Standard methodology requirements typically mandate planting native trees and shrubs at a sufficient density, often at least 200 stems per hectare, to achieve a minimum of 20% crown cover and a height of at least 2 meters.

The broader Peelwood and Upper Lachlan region is traditionally known for sheep and cattle grazing operations. The area is situated in a high-rainfall zone, historically receiving an average of 764mm annually. The local soils primarily consist of brown-yellow-red sandy loams derived from granite, alongside fertile alluvial loams near local waterways like Cooksvale Creek.

The project activities aim to establish permanent plantings using a diverse mix of native tree and shrub species that closely reflect the structure and composition of the local native vegetation community. Interestingly, the project is situated on a historic 347-hectare agricultural property known as "Cooksvale East," which was specifically noted in recent real estate sales for its strong transition potential to host biodiversity and carbon projects. Furthermore, in November 2025, the project underwent significant official variations: additional areas were added to the project boundary, and the participant name was formally transferred from Fresh Earth Agriculture Pty Ltd to The Trustee for REDHILL TRUST.