Grounds Keeping Carbon Project

Grounds Keeping Carbon Project is a landmark soil carbon project located at Hallora, approximately 15 kilometers south of Warragul in the West Gippsland region of Victoria. Registered in October 2016, the project covers roughly 124 hectares of agricultural land. The surrounding region is renowned for its productive dairy and beef cattle grazing, supported by a high-rainfall climate and fertile soils, typically consisting of volcanic red ferrosols or friable clay loams which are characteristic of the Strzelecki Ranges foothills.

The project operates under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models methodology (transitioned from the 2014 Grazing Systems method). It aims to increase soil carbon stocks through regenerative pasture management. Specifically, the project utilizes the "Soilkee Renovator," a specialized technology that combines cultivation, aeration, and mixed-species seeding to rejuvenate pastures and sequester carbon without disturbing the entire soil profile.

A significant distinction for the Grounds Keeping Carbon Project is that it was the first project in Australia to be issued Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) for soil carbon sequestration under the Emissions Reduction Fund. In March 2019, the Clean Energy Regulator awarded the project its first round of credits, marking a historic milestone for the sector. The project demonstrates how integrating legume species and altering grazing intensity can simultaneously improve farm productivity and soil health.