Cooksvale East Reforestation Project

Cooksvale East Reforestation Project is an environmental planting project located in the Upper Lachlan Shire of New South Wales, situated near the locality of Fullerton approximately 30 kilometers north of Crookwell. Registered in May 2025, the project encompasses 222 hectares of land in a region traditionally defined by high-rainfall grazing (sheep and cattle) and seed potato cultivation. The landscape in this area consists of the Southern Tablelands' rolling hills, characterized by cool temperate conditions and fertile soils often derived from basalt or granite.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM (2024) methodology. This method requires the establishment of permanent plantings using species native to the local area, such as Eucalypts and Acacias, at a density sufficient to achieve forest cover (typically requiring a potential height of at least 2 meters and 20% canopy cover). The planting design mirrors the structure of the local native vegetation community to maximize both carbon sequestration and biodiversity outcomes.

An interesting aspect of this project is its administrative history and connection to broader landscape restoration efforts. In November 2025, the project underwent a significant variation, expanding its area and changing its proponent from Fresh Earth Agriculture Pty Ltd to The Trustee for REDHILL TRUST. Registry data also suggests the existence of a sibling project, "Cooksvale West," indicating a coordinated effort to revegetate large sections of the Cooksvale area, likely converting former grazing paddocks back to native woodland.