Forde Carbon Project

The Forde Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, approximately 25 kilometres north of Bathurst. Registered in June 2021, the project covers an area of roughly 488 hectares within the Bathurst Regional Council area. The region is predominantly utilized for livestock grazing, supported by a temperate climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 600–700mm. The local landscape typically features rolling hills with soils that range from granitic loams to Red Chromosols, which are common in the tablelands and suitable for pasture but require careful management to maintain organic matter.

This project operates under the Measurement of Soil Carbon Sequestration in Agricultural Systems methodology (2018). Unlike model-based methods, this approach requires direct physical sampling of the soil to establish a baseline of carbon stocks. The project proponent, Agriprove Solutions, works with the landholder to implement new management activities designed to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) levels. For the Forde Carbon Project, these activities specifically involve altering the stocking rate, duration, or intensity of grazing. By optimizing grazing pressure, the project aims to improve pasture root depth and soil health, thereby sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide into the soil profile.

Agriprove Solutions, the project proponent, is a prominent developer in the Australian soil carbon market, known for using a "digital twin" model to streamline compliance and reporting. While specific public updates for the Forde property are limited, projects of this type typically face a permanence obligation of 25 years, during which the sequestered carbon must be maintained. The credits generated (ACCUs) are issued only after subsequent rounds of soil sampling verify a measurable increase in carbon stocks compared to the baseline.