Collings Carbon Project

Collings Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the locality of Bibbenluke, approximately 15km north of Bombala in the Monaro region of New South Wales. Registered in November 2021, the project covers roughly 137 hectares of agricultural land.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, specifically the "Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models" determination. This method incentivizes farmers to implement land management changes, such as applying nutrients to address deficiencies, rejuvenating pastures via seeding, and altering grazing intensity, to increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil profile. Unlike earlier methods that relied solely on physical sampling, the 2021 variation allows for a hybrid approach using modeled estimates to potentially reduce long-term compliance costs.

The Monaro region surrounding Bombala is a well-known high-country grazing area, historically dominated by Merino sheep for wool and beef cattle production. The environment is characterized by a cool temperate climate with cold winters and moderate rainfall, typically averaging between 600mm and 700mm annually. The soils in this specific area are often derived from the Monaro Volcanic Province, featuring fertile basalt-derived loams and clays that are highly responsive to the nutrient management activities proposed by this project.

Notably, the project updated its methodology in October 2023, transitioning from the 2018 determination to the 2021 version. This shift suggests a strategic move by the proponent, Agriprove, to utilize advanced modeling for crediting. Additionally, a variation in late 2024 removed certain areas from the project, likely refining the boundary to exclude non-compliant or non-arable land.