This project is located North of Cummins in SA in the Eyre Yorke Block bioregion. The land consists of grasslands with areas of rocky outcrops and hilly plains. The dominant species observed on the property from field surveys include Melaleuca lanceolata, Eucalpytus sp (mallee), Acacia brachybotrya, Acacia rupicola and Melaleuca uncinata.

The objective of this project is to regenerate natural woodlands and shrublands.  This is achieved by the cessation of clearing vegetation, controlled grazing and feral animal management across the project area including fencing upgrades. In addition to sequestering carbon, regeneration of native vegetation in the project area reverses land degradation caused by land clearing and livestock and stabilises soils reducing erosion.

The Project (EOP100275) was declared project under the ‘Human Induced Regeneration of a Permanent Even-Aged Forest 1.1’ methodology (2013 c1) (the Determination) and generates Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).  This is the third version of the Human Induced Regeneration methodology.

The project has issued Kyoto ACCUs in accordance with the date the carbon sequestration occurred. Kyoto ACCUs are issued for all carbon sequestration which has occurred after 14 May 2013 and non-Kyoto ACCUs are issued for carbon sequestration that occurred prior to this date.

HIR project Carbon Estimation Areas

What are Carbon Estimation Areas?

A CEA is an area of land within a project area where the project activity or activities are being carried out to sequester carbon (for example, the cessation of mechanical or chemical clearing or management of timing and extent of grazing to enable regeneration of vegetation to forest) and for which ACCUs can be credited^[4].

These are the areas where project activities occur and where carbon abatement will be modelled applying standardised estimation formulae approved by the Clean Energy Regulator.  There can be one or many CEAs on a Project Area.

Each CEA must contain areas of eligible land greater than 0.2ha in size in which the project activities are implemented and which have started to become native forest through regeneration.

• Eligible Land is land that didn’t have forest cover during the baseline period (ie. the 10 years before project commencement) and which has been used or managed in a way that suppresses development of forest cover.
• A particular area of land has Forest cover if the land has an area of at least 0.2 of a hectare and has trees that are 2 metres or more in height and provide crown cover of at least 20% of the land.

Stratification of Arbon Tooligie HIR Project Area into CEAs

Stratification is the process of “demarcating the boundaries of CEAs from ineligible and non-implementation areas within a project area”^[5].

There are Guidelines setting out how Project Areas are stratified into CEAs.  These include rules about evidence, stratification and record keeping to support the requirements in the CFI Rule 2015 (2018 and 2019 Amendments) including key method eligibility requirements.

Stratification of the Arbon Tooligie HIR Project was carried out in accordance with the Determination and first reported to the Clean Energy Regulator for a reporting period ending 31 March 2016.^[6]

A summary of the stratification of the Arbon Tooligie HIR Project is set out below:

This map shows the project area boundary and the different elements of project design including the carbon estimation areas and exclusion areas. This stratification may reflect both initial stratification and subsequent revisions.

In order to inform the initial stratification of the Arbon Tooligie HIR Project in accordance with the Determination, GreenCollar carried out field surveys and data collection. This included collection of data on existing vegetation species, photos and a detailed site description.

Satellite imagery and remote sensing datasets were used to identify eligible land and exclusion areas. The extent of exclusion areas (totalling 2,810 ha), comprised of pre-existing forest cover (300 ha) and areas which classified as having no forest potential (2,510 ha). Through this process a final eligible CEA area of 3,397 ha was confirmed.

This maps shows a current satellite image of the project area.  Satellite imagery and remote sensing datasets were used to identify eligible land and exclusion areas.

This map shows a summary of all CEA and Exclusion Areas.

Project Sequestration and Abatement

This version of the HIR Methodology required using the Reforestation Modelling Tool to determine the sequestration of carbon stocks and emissions required to calculate the net abatement amount for each reporting period. The carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount in relation to a reporting period for the project is taken to be the change in carbon stock for the project area less the project emissions. Any carbon stock that accumulated by the crediting start date for the project is calculated as the initial carbon stock and is removed from the calculation of abatement as the proponent is not entitled to credits for it.

See below for the average per hectare sequestration for the Arbon Tooligie HIR project.

Implementation & Monitoring

The activities for the project are:

• the management of the timing & extent of grazing, and
• the management, in a humane way, of feral animals
• the implementation of a decision to permanently cease the mechanical or chemical destruction or suppression of regrowth

Since project commencement these activities have been undertaken across the project area to assist the regeneration of native forest in attaining forest cover. Once the initial offsets report has been completed, GreenCollar works closely with the landholder of the project property to collect land management information every quarter. This is reviewed and reported on in each offsets report.

A summary of monitoring activities and evidence collection undertaken on this project is set out below:

• Evidence collection in relation to grazing and herd management
• Evidence collection in relation to removal and reduction of feral animals
• Evidence of fire management activities
• Evidence collection from landholder as to other land management activities as relevant
• Change detection assessments
• Repeat biomass inventory surveys to track biomass change of regenerating vegetation
• Daily fire hotspot monitoring and review of Seasonal Fire Risk
• Review of SPEI drought index
• Regeneration Gateway Checks

These surveys are currently not required under the HIR method but are implemented by GreenCollar to provide additional assurance that biophysical threats to carbon stores such as grazing, drought and fire are not negatively impacting the regeneration and to track progress of regeneration of the native forest. In addition, the data collected is utilised for broader research purposes.

This map shows the points within the project area where vegetation biomass surveys were conducted as part of the monitoring process.

A Biomass Waypoint is a randomly allocated point within the project area where sampling data is collected.

Regeneration Checks

The Guidelines require that Proponents must provide regeneration checks at least once every five years from the start of the project’s last or only crediting period until CEAs pass their forest cover assessment date^[8], and upon request by the Clean Energy Regulator.

A summary of regeneration checks required for the Arbon Tooligie HIR Project is set out below:

The process and methodology includes one or more of the three evidence requirements and reporting:

• Evidence level 1: Change detection analysis, or
• Evidence level 2: Remote sensing analysis and/or
• Evidence level 3: Field data; and
• Reporting

This project is located West of Bourke in NSW in the Mulga Lands bioregion. The land consists of undulating and flat terrain with scattered salt lakes. The dominant species observed on the property from field surveys include Eremophila sturtii, Dodonaea viscosa, Acacia melvillei, Eremophila longifolia and Acacia aneura.

The objective of this project is to regenerate natural woodlands and shrublands.  This is achieved by controlled grazing and feral animal management across the project area including fencing upgrades and water management. In addition to sequestering carbon, regeneration of native vegetation in the project area reverses land degradation caused by feral goats and livestock and stabilises soils reducing erosion.

The Project (ERF165905) was declared project under the ‘Human Induced Regeneration of a Permanent Even-Aged Forest 1.1’ methodology (2013 c3) (the Determination) and generates Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).  This is the fifth version of the Human Induced Regeneration methodology.

The project has issued Kyoto ACCUs in accordance with the date the carbon sequestration occurred. Kyoto ACCUs are issued for all carbon sequestration which has occurred after 14 May 2013 and non-Kyoto ACCUs are issued for carbon sequestration that occurred prior to this date.

HIR project Carbon Estimation Areas

What are Carbon Estimation Areas?

A CEA is an area of land within a project area where the project activity or activities are being carried out to sequester carbon (for example, the cessation of mechanical or chemical clearing or management of timing and extent of grazing to enable regeneration of vegetation to forest) and for which ACCUs can be credited^[4].

These are the areas where project activities occur and where carbon abatement will be modelled applying standardised estimation formulae approved by the Clean Energy Regulator.  There can be one or many CEAs on a Project Area.

Each CEA must contain areas of eligible land greater than 0.2ha in size in which the project activities are implemented and which have started to become native forest through regeneration.

• Eligible Land is land that didn’t have forest cover during the baseline period (ie. the 10 years before project commencement) and which has been used or managed in a way that suppresses development of forest cover.
• A particular area of land has Forest cover if the land has an area of at least 0.2 of a hectare and has trees that are 2 metres or more in height and provide crown cover of at least 20% of the land.

Stratification of Avondale Human Induced Regeneration Project Area into CEAs

Stratification is the process of “demarcating the boundaries of CEAs from ineligible and non-implementation areas within a project area”^[5].

There are Guidelines setting out how Project Areas are stratified into CEAs.  These include rules about evidence, stratification and record keeping to support the requirements in the CFI Rule 2015 (2018 and 2019 Amendments) including key method eligibility requirements.

Stratification of the Avondale Human Induced Regeneration Project was carried out in accordance with the Determination and first reported to the Clean Energy Regulator for a reporting period ending 31 July 2022.

A summary of the stratification of the Avondale Human Induced Regeneration Project is set out below:

This map shows the project area boundary and the different elements of project design including the carbon estimation areas and exclusion areas. This stratification may reflect both initial stratification and subsequent revisions.

In order to validate the stratification of the Avondale Human Induced Regeneration Project in accordance with the Determination and Guidelines, GreenCollar carried out extensive field surveys and data collection.  This included collection of data on existing vegetation species, stem density and vegetation height.

This map shows the points within the project area where vegetation biomass surveys were conducted as part of the monitoring process.

A Biomass Waypoint is a randomly allocated point within the project area where sampling data is collected.

The Guidelines also require a map accuracy assessment be completed before offset reporting.  This assessment must include the field sample plots, which can be used in conjunction with remote sensing samples.  The Clean Energy Regulator will accept mapping accuracies at or above 85 per cent for pre-existing forest and forest potential classification types.  The overall accuracy of the Avondale Human Induced Regeneration Project classification was 90.15% which is greater than the 85% minimum requirement of The Guidelines.

After the completion of the map accuracy assessment, any additional exclusion areas were delineated prior to finalising the initial stratification. The extent of exclusion areas (totalling 17,225 ha), comprised of pre-existing forest cover (5,303 ha) and areas which classified as having no forest potential (6,467 ha). Through this process a final eligible CEA area of 18,235 ha was confirmed.

This maps shows a current satellite image of the project area.  Satellite imagery and remote sensing datasets were used to identify eligible land and exclusion areas.

This map shows a summary of all CEA and Exclusion Areas.

Project Sequestration and Abatement

This version of the HIR Methodology requires using the Full Carbon Accounting Model (FullCAM) to determine the sequestration of carbon stocks and emissions required to calculate the net abatement amount for each reporting period. The carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount in relation to a reporting period for the project is taken to be the change in carbon stock for the project area less the project emissions. Any carbon stock that accumulated by the crediting start date for the project is calculated as the initial carbon stock and is removed from the calculation of abatement as the proponent is not entitled to credits for it.

See below for the average per hectare sequestration for the Avondale Human Induced Regeneration Project.

Implementation & Monitoring

The activities for the project are:

• the management of the timing & extent of grazing, and
• the management, in a humane way, of feral animals

Since project commencement these activities have been undertaken across the project area to assist the regeneration of native forest in attaining forest cover. Once the initial offsets report has been completed, GreenCollar works closely with the landholder of the project property to collect land management information every quarter. This is reviewed and reported on in each offsets report.

A summary of monitoring activities and evidence collection undertaken on this project is set out below:

• Evidence collection in relation to grazing and herd management
• Evidence collection in relation to removal and reduction of feral animals
• Evidence of fire management activities
• Evidence collection from landholder as to other land management activities as relevant
• Change detection assessments
• Repeat biomass inventory surveys to track biomass change of regenerating vegetation
• Daily fire hotspot monitoring and review of Seasonal Fire Risk
• Review of SPEI drought index
• Regeneration Gateway Checks

These surveys are currently not required under the HIR method but are implemented by GreenCollar to provide additional assurance that biophysical threats to carbon stores such as grazing, drought and fire are not negatively impacting the regeneration and to track progress of regeneration of the native forest. In addition, the data collected is utilised for broader research purposes.

Regeneration Checks

The Guidelines require that Proponents must provide regeneration checks at least once every five years from the start of the project’s last or only crediting period until CEAs pass their forest cover assessment date^[6], and upon request by the Clean Energy Regulator.

A summary of regeneration checks required for the Avondale Human Induced Regeneration Project is set out below:

The process and methodology includes one or more of the three evidence requirements and reporting:

• Evidence level 1: Change detection analysis, or
• Evidence level 2: Remote sensing analysis and/or
• Evidence level 3: Field data; and
• Reporting

Project Area Files

GIS shapefiles for the project can be downloaded here. These files detail the project stratification including the carbon estimation areas and exclusion areas.

This project is located North East of Ivanhoe in NSW in the Murray Darling Depression bioregion. The land consists of flat, undulating plains with some hilly areas. The dominant species observed on the property from field surveys include Dodonaea viscosa, Eremophila sturtii, Lycium austral, Senna artemisioides and Eucalptus sp.

The objective of this project is to regenerate natural woodlands and shrublands.  This is achieved by controlled grazing and feral animal management across the project area along with fencing upgrades. In addition to sequestering carbon, regeneration of native vegetation in the project area reverses land degradation caused by feral goats and livestock and stabilises soils reducing erosion.

The Project (ERF101494) was declared project under the ‘Human Induced Regeneration of a Permanent Even-Aged Forest 1.1’ methodology (2013 c1) (the Determination) and generates Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).  This is the third version of the Human Induced Regeneration methodology.

The project has issued both Kyoto ACCUs and non-Kyoto ACCUs in accordance with the date the carbon sequestration occurred. Kyoto ACCUs are issued for all carbon sequestration which has occurred after 14 May 2013 and non-Kyoto ACCUs are issued for carbon sequestration that occurred prior to this date.

HIR project Carbon Estimation Areas

What are Carbon Estimation Areas?

A CEA is an area of land within a project area where the project activity or activities are being carried out to sequester carbon (for example, the cessation of mechanical or chemical clearing or management of timing and extent of grazing to enable regeneration of vegetation to forest) and for which ACCUs can be credited^[4].

These are the areas where project activities occur and where carbon abatement will be modelled applying standardised estimation formulae approved by the Clean Energy Regulator.  There can be one or many CEAs on a Project Area.

Each CEA must contain areas of eligible land greater than 0.2ha in size in which the project activities are implemented and which have started to become native forest through regeneration.

• Eligible Land is land that didn’t have forest cover during the baseline period (ie. the 10 years before project commencement) and which has been used or managed in a way that suppresses development of forest cover.
• A particular area of land has Forest cover if the land has an area of at least 0.2 of a hectare and has trees that are 2 metres or more in height and provide crown cover of at least 20% of the land.

Stratification of Berangabah Yallock HIR Project Area into CEAs

Stratification is the process of “demarcating the boundaries of CEAs from ineligible and non-implementation areas within a project area”^[5].

There are Guidelines setting out how Project Areas are stratified into CEAs.  These include rules about evidence, stratification and record keeping to support the requirements in the CFI Rule 2015 (2018 and 2019 Amendments) including key method eligibility requirements.

Stratification of the Berangabah Yallock HIR Project was carried out in accordance with the Determination and first reported to the Clean Energy Regulator for a reporting period ending 31 March 2016.^[6]

A summary of the stratification of the Berangabah Yallock HIR Project is set out below:

This map shows the project area boundary and the different elements of project design including the carbon estimation areas and exclusion areas.  This stratification may reflect both initial stratification and subsequent revisions.

In order to inform the initial stratification of the Berangabah Yallock HIR Project in accordance with the Determination, GreenCollar carried out field surveys and data collection.  This included collection of data on existing vegetation species, photos and a detailed site description.

Satellite imagery and remote sensing datasets were used to identify eligible land and exclusion areas. The extent of exclusion areas (totalling 69,341 ha), comprised of pre-existing forest cover (39,411 ha) and areas which classified as having no forest potential (7,834 ha). Through this process a final eligible CEA area of 14,339 ha was confirmed.

This maps shows a current satellite image of the project area.  Satellite imagery and remote sensing datasets were used to identify eligible land and exclusion areas.

This project is located North of Nyngan in Western NSW in the Cobar Peneplain bioregion. The land consists of native woodlands and has been historically used for grazing. The dominant species observed on the property from field surveys include Dodonaea viscosa, Eremophila mitchellii, Senna artemisioides, Eremophila sturtii, Geijera parviflora and Eucalyptus populnea.

The objective of this project is to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by sequestering carbon in native forests and avoiding emissions attributable to the clearing of one or more native forests.

This is achieved by protecting land from deforestation where a broadscale clearing consent had been issued and managing the area in order to achieve a mix of native trees, shrubs and understorey species that reflects the structure and composition of a protected native forest.

It is important to note that in an Avoided Deforestation project not all the biomass within a CEA generates abatement as there are trees that would not have been cleared. The carbon held in these trees is excluded from the project accounts.

In New South Wales (NSW), the recent average clearing rate of woody vegetation is approximately 35,000 ha per annum while the rate of non-woody vegetation clearing is approximately 50,000 ha per annum^[1]. These figures don’t include clearing of non-woody vegetation on unregulated land. Agricultural clearing has increased threefold over the last decade in NSW.

The Project (EOP101056) is declared under the ‘Avoided Deforestation 1.1’ Methodology (2015) (the Determination) and generates Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). This is the second version of the Avoided Deforestation methodology.

AD project Carbon Estimation Areas

What are Carbon Estimation Areas?

A CEA is an area of eligible native forest within a project area that in the absence of the project, would have been cleared in accordance with a pre-existing clearing consent. ACCUs are credited for the native forest within the CEA that is being protected under the project.

At the time the project application is made, each CEA must contain areas of native forest cover and be subject to a pre-existing clearing consent.

• A pre-existing clearing consent must have been issued before 1 July 2010 and be valid at the time of the project application. The consent must permit clearing for the purpose of converting the native forest to cropland or grassland. The clearing consent outlines the maximum area that can be cleared however not all of this area is eligible to be CEA.
• A particular area of land has Forest cover if the land has an area of at least 0.2 of a hectare and has trees that are 2 metres or more in height and provide crown cover of at least 20% of the land.

CEAs contain both project and non-project trees. Non-project trees are those that would not have been cleared in accordance with the pre-existing clearing consent thus the biomass associated with these are not included in the calculation of the project abatement.

Stratification of Bogan Downs Native Forest Protection Project Area into CEAs

Stratification is the process of dividing the project area into carbon estimation areas, clearing buffers and exclusion areas ^[3].

Stratification of the Bogan Downs Native Forest Protection Project was carried out in accordance with the Determination and first reported to the Clean Energy Regulator for a reporting period ending 30 April 2015.

A summary of the stratification of the Bogan Downs Native Forest Protection Project is set out below:

This map shows the project area boundary and the different elements of project design including the carbon estimation areas, clearing buffers and exclusion areas. This stratification may reflect both initial stratification and subsequent revisions.

Satellite imagery, remote sensing datasets, and the clearing consent mapping were used to identify eligible land and exclusion areas. The final project strata comprises of Exclusions Areas (totalling 844 ha), Clearing Buffer (totalling 839 ha) and CEA (totalling 2,428 ha)

This map shows a current satellite image of the project area.  Satellite imagery, remote sensing datasets, and the pre-existing clearing consent map were used to identify eligible land and exclusion areas.

This map shows a summary of the project mechanism area (the area being protected under the project comprising CEA and Clearing Buffer) and the Exclusion Areas.

Project Abatement

Field surveys are undertaken to calculate the carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount in accordance with the Determination.

Firstly, allometric equations are developed and/or validated using destructive sampling to calculate the above ground biomass of plants. Below ground biomass is determined using root:shoot ratios as provided in the Determination.

To validate each allometric equation, at least 6 plants are selected for destructive sampling across different species and size classes. Each plant is cut at ground level and the total wet weight is recorded. Subsamples are then taken for each component part and dried in an oven to obtain the subsample dry weight. Component dry to wet weight ratios are then determined to calculate the estimated dry weight and carbon content of the entire plant.

The allometric equations are validated when there is no difference calculated between the observed and predicted biomass estimates.

Once the allometric equations have been validated, a biomass inventory survey is undertaken to calculate the carbon stock in the forest that would have otherwise been subject to clearing in the absence of the project. This is done by collecting the required measurements for allometric equation, for example the diameter at breast height (DBH, taken to be the diameter at 130cm) for each plant within survey plots.

Plots are randomly allocated within the CEA and are surveyed sequentially until ‘Targeted Precision’ has been achieved. Targeted Precision is the error limit of the primary biomass survey and must be less than or equal to 10% ^[4]

This map shows the points within the project area where vegetation biomass surveys were conducted.

A Biomass Waypoint is a randomly allocated point within the project area where sampling data is collected.

In each survey plot, all woody vegetation is recorded, and ‘non project trees’ are removed from calculations in accordance with the requirements of the pre-existing clearing consent and Determination.

The results of the biomass survey are then used to calculate baseline emissions by modelling^[5] the clearing and decay of the carbon stock over 100 years. The mean carbon stock in all pools within the baseline period is calculated to be the difference between the mean carbon stock prior to deforestation and the long-term average post deforestation. Greenhouse gas emissions from methane and nitrous oxide from biomass burning are then calculated.

The net greenhouse gas emissions for the project from planned deforestation are taken to be the sum of the mean carbon stock in all pools during the baseline period and the emissions from biomass burning.

Abatement for the crediting period is calculated as the difference between the net greenhouse gas emissions in the baseline from previously permitted deforestation and the net project emissions. This is averaged across the crediting period and abatement credited in each reporting period is issued pro-rata.

Project Monitoring

Once the initial offsets report has been completed, GreenCollar works closely with the land manager of the project property to collect land management information every quarter to confirm that the land is being managed in accordance with the requirements of the method.

A summary of monitoring activities undertaken on this project is set out below:

• Interview in relation to grazing and herd management
• Interview in relation to removal and reduction of feral animals
• Interview to record fire management activities
• Change detection assessments
• Daily fire hotspot monitoring and review of Seasonal Fire Risk
• Review of SPEI drought index

Project Area Files

GIS shapefiles for the project can be downloaded here. These files detail the project stratification including the carbon estimation areas and exclusion areas.

Avoided Deforestation Q&A

For further information on the Avoided Deforestation method refer to the Avoided Deforestation Q&A here

This project is located West of Cobar in NSW in the Cobar Peneplain bioregion. The land consists of undulating ridges interspersed with creeks and flood country. The dominant species observed on the property from field surveys include Dodonaea viscosa, Eremophila sturtii, Eremophila mitchellii, Eucalyptus intertexta and Acacia aneura.

The objective of this project is to regenerate natural woodlands and shrublands.  This is achieved by controlled grazing and feral animal management across the project area along with fencing upgrades. In addition to sequestering carbon, regeneration of native vegetation in the project area reverses land degradation caused by feral goats and livestock and stabilises soils reducing erosion.

The Project (ERF101674) was declared project under the ‘Human Induced Regeneration of a Permanent Even-Aged Forest 1.1’ methodology (2013 c1) (the Determination) and generates Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).  This is the third version of the Human Induced Regeneration methodology.

The project has issued both Kyoto ACCUs and non-Kyoto ACCUs in accordance with the date the carbon sequestration occurred. Kyoto ACCUs are issued for all carbon sequestration which has occurred after 14 May 2013 and non-Kyoto ACCUs are issued for carbon sequestration that occurred prior to this date.

HIR project Carbon Estimation Areas

What are Carbon Estimation Areas?

A CEA is an area of land within a project area where the project activity or activities are being carried out to sequester carbon (for example, the cessation of mechanical or chemical clearing or management of timing and extent of grazing to enable regeneration of vegetation to forest) and for which ACCUs can be credited^[4].

These are the areas where project activities occur and where carbon abatement will be modelled applying standardised estimation formulae approved by the Clean Energy Regulator.  There can be one or many CEAs on a Project Area.

Each CEA must contain areas of eligible land greater than 0.2ha in size in which the project activities are implemented and which have started to become native forest through regeneration.

• Eligible Land is land that didn’t have forest cover during the baseline period (ie. the 10 years before project commencement) and which has been used or managed in a way that suppresses development of forest cover.
• A particular area of land has Forest cover if the land has an area of at least 0.2 of a hectare and has trees that are 2 metres or more in height and provide crown cover of at least 20% of the land.

Stratification of Boonora Downs HIR Project Area into CEAs

Stratification is the process of “demarcating the boundaries of CEAs from ineligible and non-implementation areas within a project area”^[5].

There are Guidelines setting out how Project Areas are stratified into CEAs.  These include rules about evidence, stratification and record keeping to support the requirements in the CFI Rule 2015 (2018 and 2019 Amendments) including key method eligibility requirements.

Stratification of the Boonora Downs HIR Project was carried out in accordance with the Determination and first reported to the Clean Energy Regulator for a reporting period ending 31 March 2016.^[6]

A summary of the stratification of the Boonora Downs HIR Project is set out below:

This map shows the project area boundary and the different elements of project design including the carbon estimation areas and exclusion areas. This stratification may reflect both initial stratification and subsequent revisions.

In order to inform the initial stratification of the Boonora Downs HIR Project in accordance with the Determination, GreenCollar carried out field surveys and data collection. This included collection of data on existing vegetation species, photos and a detailed site description.

Satellite imagery and remote sensing datasets were used to identify eligible land and exclusion areas. The extent of exclusion areas (totalling 4,039 ha), comprised of pre-existing forest cover (1,417 ha) and areas which classified as having no forest potential (38 ha). Through this process a final eligible CEA area of 8,027 ha was confirmed.

This maps shows a current satellite image of the project area.  Satellite imagery and remote sensing datasets were used to identify eligible land and exclusion areas.

This project is located South West of Cobar in NSW in the Cobar Peneplain bioregion. The land consists of flat cropping country, rocky ridges and small gullies. The dominant species observed on the property from field surveys include Callitris glaucophylla, Eremophila mitchellii, Eremophila sturtii, Dodonaea viscosa and Eucalyptus populnea.

The objective of this project is to regenerate natural woodlands and shrublands.  This is achieved by controlled grazing and feral animal management across the project area along with fencing upgrades. In addition to sequestering carbon, regeneration of native vegetation in the project area reverses land degradation caused by feral goats and livestock and stabilises soils reducing erosion.

The Project (EOP101263) was declared project under the ‘Human Induced Regeneration of a Permanent Even-Aged Forest 1.1’ methodology (2013 c1) (the Determination) and generates Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).  This is the third version of the Human Induced Regeneration methodology.

The project has issued both Kyoto ACCUs and non-Kyoto ACCUs in accordance with the date the carbon sequestration occurred. Kyoto ACCUs are issued for all carbon sequestration which has occurred after 14 May 2013 and non-Kyoto ACCUs are issued for carbon sequestration that occurred prior to this date.

HIR project Carbon Estimation Areas

What are Carbon Estimation Areas?

A CEA is an area of land within a project area where the project activity or activities are being carried out to sequester carbon (for example, the cessation of mechanical or chemical clearing or management of timing and extent of grazing to enable regeneration of vegetation to forest) and for which ACCUs can be credited^[4].

These are the areas where project activities occur and where carbon abatement will be modelled applying standardised estimation formulae approved by the Clean Energy Regulator.  There can be one or many CEAs on a Project Area.

Each CEA must contain areas of eligible land greater than 0.2ha in size in which the project activities are implemented and which have started to become native forest through regeneration.

• Eligible Land is land that didn’t have forest cover during the baseline period (ie. the 10 years before project commencement) and which has been used or managed in a way that suppresses development of forest cover.
• A particular area of land has Forest cover if the land has an area of at least 0.2 of a hectare and has trees that are 2 metres or more in height and provide crown cover of at least 20% of the land.

Stratification of Buckambool HIR Project Area into CEAs

Stratification is the process of “demarcating the boundaries of CEAs from ineligible and non-implementation areas within a project area”^[5].

There are Guidelines setting out how Project Areas are stratified into CEAs.  These include rules about evidence, stratification and record keeping to support the requirements in the CFI Rule 2015 (2018 and 2019 Amendments) including key method eligibility requirements.

Stratification of the Buckambool HIR Project was carried out in accordance with the Determination and first reported to the Clean Energy Regulator for a reporting period ending 31 December 2016.^[6]

A summary of the stratification of the Buckambool HIR Project is set out below:

This map shows the project area boundary and the different elements of project design including the carbon estimation areas and exclusion areas. This stratification may reflect both initial stratification and subsequent revisions.

In order to inform the initial stratification of the Buckambool HIR Project in accordance with the Determination, GreenCollar carried out field surveys and data collection. This included collection of data on existing vegetation species, photos and a detailed site description.

Satellite imagery and remote sensing datasets were used to identify eligible land and exclusion areas. The extent of exclusion areas (totalling 21,758 ha), comprised of pre-existing forest cover (13,301 ha) and areas which classified as having no forest potential (207 ha). Through this process a final eligible CEA area of 9,402 ha was confirmed.

This maps shows a current satellite image of the project area.  Satellite imagery and remote sensing datasets were used to identify eligible land and exclusion areas.