Oakvale Native Forest Protection Project issued carbon credits

The Australian Government has issued the Oakvale Native Forest Protection Project with 98,524 Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs) under the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI). Native forest protection projects avoid the deforestation of native forest that had been approved for clearing. 

Oakvale is an important historical property in western NSW. It was explored in the gold rush in the 1800s and has been used for grazing activities over a long period. Scientific work at Oakvale dates back to the 1970s and the property was included in a CSIRO study published in the Australian Journal of Botany in 1979 and the Journal of Ecosystems in 2006. 

Oakvale has diverse array of fauna and flora, including approximately 30 species of trees and 19 shrub species. Fauna including the striking crucifix toad, planigale, the endangered Kultar (a mouse-sized marsupial) and the wedge-tailed eagle make their home on the property, as do native bees which produce honey in Red Box trees. The property also provides a small wetland which is used as a migrator stopover and feeding ground for many native bird species, including brolgas and black swans.

The property’s native forest protection project is the latest in a series of measures by the landowner to protect the natural environment. The project was developed by Climate Friendly and South Pole Carbon and rigorously assessed by the Clean Energy Regulator. The project area is now protected for a minimum of 100 years.

“This is a great project,” said Climate Friendly CEO Freddy Sharpe. “It helps farmers, it protects flora and fauna, and it prevents greenhouse gas emissions. It ticks all the boxes. We are always looking for high-quality project opportunities like this.”