The Sisters Grassy Woodlands Restoration Project

The Sisters Grassy Woodlands Restoration Project is an environmental planting project located at a property on Caddigat Road, approximately 16km southeast of Adaminaby and 50km northwest of Cooma in the Snowy Monaro region of NSW. It was registered in May 2025 and covers a carbon estimation area of 216.61 hectares, with a variation to the project area boundaries amended in August 2025.

Environmental planting projects involve establishing a permanent mix of native trees and shrubs at a density sufficient to reach forest cover, which typically requires planting at least 200 stems per hectare to achieve a 20% crown cover and a height of at least 2 meters. For this project, the chosen species mix directly reflects the natural structure and composition of the local native vegetation community.

The Snowy Monaro region is traditionally known for high-country sheep and cattle grazing operations (specifically merino sheep), which has historically resulted in significant legacy vegetation clearing across the tablelands. The local environment features a cool temperate to sub-alpine climate with an average annual rainfall of around 630-690mm and frequent winter snowfall. The soils across these frost-prone valley floors are generally derived from basalt, granite, or fine-grained sedimentary rocks, which perfectly support the native grassy woodlands.

An interesting fact about this project is that it is spearheaded by Greenprint Caddigat Pty Ltd, an entity formed through an innovative partnership between Conscious Investment Management (CIM) and the environmental not-for-profit Greening Australia. While the carbon estimation area is 216 hectares, the project is situated on a larger 755-hectare property with plans to plant approximately 140,000 native trees and shrubs. The restoration efforts are specifically designed to benefit nationally listed woodland bird species and aid the recovery of the critically endangered Monaro Tableland Cool Temperate Grassy Woodland ecosystem, all protected under a 100-year permanence period.