Carbon Conscious Carbon Capture Project 1

Carbon Conscious Carbon Capture Project 1 is a large-scale aggregated reforestation initiative dispersed across the Northern and Central Wheatbelt regions of Western Australia. Rather than a single contiguous site, the project spans multiple properties, with planting areas located near regional agricultural hubs such as Carnamah, Mukinbudin, and extending east towards Southern Cross. The project was registered in September 2013, covering a total area of approximately 6,979 hectares.

This project operates under the "Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings (FullCAM)" methodology. This method involves establishing permanent native vegetation, specifically Mallee eucalypt species in this instance, on land that was previously cleared for agriculture. The plantings are designed to sequester carbon in the trees' biomass as they grow. A key requirement of this methodology in Western Australia's low-rainfall zones is the use of species adapted to local conditions, often planted in belts or blocks to integrate with existing farm operations.

The region is characterized by a semi-arid, Mediterranean climate with low annual rainfall, typically falling between 300mm and 600mm. The landscape is dominated by dryland cropping (wheat, canola) and sheep grazing. Soils in this area are ancient and deeply weathered, often consisting of sandy loams and duplex soils, with some areas susceptible to dryland salinity, a degradation issue that Mallee plantings help mitigate by lowering the water table.

Notably, this project represents one of the earliest large-scale carbon farming initiatives in Australia. It was originally developed by Carbon Conscious Limited (later rebranded as Alterra Limited) before the management rights were transferred to ACCU Asset Management Pty Ltd in 2018. Approximately 6 million Mallee trees were planted across the project sites between 2009 and 2010. The project has successfully completed a fixed delivery contract (CAC194219) with the Australian Government, delivering over 110,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by May 2021, and continues to hold a 100-year permanence obligation.