Cassowary Credit First Tree Planting

CASSOWARY CREDITS FIRST TREE PLANTING

CASSOWARY CREDITS BREAKS NEW GROUND

17 JULY 2025

Australia’s first registered site to deliver both Carbon Credits and Cassowary Credits was officially launched today at Ninds Creek near Innisfail, with more than 70 volunteers planting 3000 native trees as part of the milestone event.

The day marks a key moment in the rollout of the new Cassowary Credits biodiversity program, designed specifically for the Wet Tropics region to attract more investment into forest restoration and to reward landholders for restoring and protecting native ecosystems.

Cassowary Coast Regional Council’s Cr Jeff Baines, Environment portfolio holder, praised the initiative and joined volunteers in planting, calling it an exciting moment for the nation’s first carbon stacking project. The project is on council land.

“This project is about action and leadership, not just for the Cassowary Coast but for the whole country,” he said.

“Terrain NRM and Eco Markets Australia have led an incredibly important initiative, and Council is proud to support such a significant step forward in nature-based solutions that deliver for both biodiversity and climate.”

Mamu Traditional Custodian and Trainee Land and Sea Ranger Inggui Hart shared the importance of restoring Country through collaboration.

“Being on Country means a lot,” Mr Hart said.

“Today we are planting over 3000 native trees with the help of volunteers, Terrain NRM, Council and C4. As a Traditional Owner, it’s great to see native species being returned to Country.

“We’ll be helping monitor the site and watching as the native animals and ecosystems return.”

Terrain NRM’s Bronwyn Robertson explained that ‘stacking’ allows landholders to earn both Carbon Credits for carbon storage and Cassowary Credits for biodiversity protection on the same parcel of land.

“The Cassowary Credit Scheme has been approved for stacking by the Australian Government’s Clean Energy Regulator,” Ms Robertson said.

“Up to 50,000 hectares across the Wet Tropics region have the potential to be part of this new environmental finance program, which focuses on land that’s considered unsuitable for agriculture.”

“This landmark project is the first of its kind in the Wet Tropics, combining Carbon and Cassowary Credits on a single site.”

Landholders and agencies interested in supporting biodiversity and exploring the benefits of Cassowary Credits are encouraged to get involved.

To learn more about Cassowary Credits or to register your interest, visit www.cassowarycredits.com.au

FAST FACTS

What is a Cassowary Credit?

A Cassowary Credit is a quantified improvement in rainforest habitat (vegetation) condition earned by landholders. Purchasers buy the verified improvements as credits.

What does ‘stacking’ mean?

In a landmark development for environmental markets in Australia, Cassowary Credit projects are eligible to be stacked with Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) projects under the Clean Energy Regulator’s framework.

This is the first time a biodiversity credit program has been formally endorsed for project stacking and it means that landholders can generate two separate tradeable credits on the same parcel of land.

In environmental markets, stacking means generating multiple types of environmental credits from a single project or parcel of land. Each credit type — such as a carbon credit or a biodiversity credit — is measured and issued separately and can be sold independently or as a bundle.

To be eligible, projects must meet strict additionality rules to ensure that each credit type reflects a truly distinct environmental benefit, with no double-counting.