Lawson Carbon Project (Revoked)

Lawson Carbon Project (Revoked) was a soil carbon sequestration project located near the rural locality of O'Connell, approximately 20km southeast of the major regional center of Bathurst in New South Wales. The project was registered in May 2021 and covered an area of 120 hectares. The project was voluntarily revoked in November 2024.

The project operated under the Measurement of Soil Carbon Sequestration in Agricultural Systems methodology (2018). This method requires landholders to implement new management activities, such as the "altering the stocking rate, duration or intensity of grazing" listed for this project, to increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil. To generate credits, the project must undergo baseline soil sampling followed by subsequent rounds of sampling to physically measure the increase in soil organic carbon stocks.

The O'Connell region within the Fish River catchment is characterized by a temperate climate with reliable rainfall (generally 600–800mm annually). The landscape typically supports mixed farming and extensive grazing for cattle and sheep. Soils in this area are often derived from granite (specifically the Bathurst Granite) or alluvial deposits found along the river flats, which can be susceptible to erosion if vegetation cover is not maintained.

The project was revoked under Section 30 of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Rule 2015. This section specifically governs "voluntary revocation" where no Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) have been issued. This suggests that the proponent, Agriprove Solutions, or the landholder chose to withdraw the project before generating any credits. This is a common occurrence in soil carbon projects if baseline testing reveals the soil does not have the anticipated sequestration potential, or if the property is sold.