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Australian rangelands are currently contributing to climate mitigation through nature-based solutions which include land management changes to facilitate forest 14growth. Currently, >42 million ha of rangelands are being incentivised through the Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme to promote native woody forest regeneration through adoption of new grazing management regimes and removal of past suppression activities which have prevent ed the establishment of forest cover. These activities include the management of domestic animals by controlling the frequency, timing and intensity of grazing; control of feral animals; cessation of clearing activities; management of fire; and changes to infrastructure which allow enhanced control of grazing pressure to achieve native forest regeneration. The legitimacy of grazing management to influence woody regeneration in these arid and semi-arid environments has recently been challenged, sparking debate over the use of grazing management as a credible land management activity to underpin carbon market mechanisms. Contrasting palatable Acacia aneura (mulga) and unpalatable Eremophila sturtii (turpentine) species are used to illustrate how grazing management activities can influence opportunities for recruitment, establishment and growth. Key biological features are identified for each species and used to guide reported or expected responses to grazing management interventions and influence the temporal patterns of carbon accumulation either directly or indirectly. The importance of initial landscape conditions to support the preconditions for grazing management to influence rates of regeneration as well as land management skills and capacity are identified as potentially important factors in determining successful use of grazing management in native forest regeneration.