Casey Carbon Project

Casey Carbon Project is a soil carbon project located in the locality of Eccleston, approximately 30km northwest of Dungog in the Hunter Region of New South Wales. Registered in May 2021, the project covers nearly 77 hectares of agricultural land nestled in the foothills of the Barrington Tops.

The project operates under the 2018 Soil Carbon Sequestration methodology. This method involves measuring the baseline carbon levels in the soil, implementing new land management activities to sequester more carbon, and then re-sampling in future years to calculate the increase. The specific activities for this project include re-establishing or rejuvenating pastures through seeding and altering the stocking rate, duration, or intensity of grazing. The goal is to build soil organic carbon, which generates Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) while simultaneously improving farm productivity.

The Eccleston area is situated within the Allyn River valley, a region characterized by cattle grazing and lifestyle farming. The environment benefits from relatively high rainfall, often exceeding 900mm annually due to its proximity to the Barrington Tops ranges. The soils in the river valleys are typically fertile alluvial loams, transitioning to red and brown podzolic soils on the surrounding slopes, providing a strong foundation for pasture improvement activities.

The proponent, Agriprove Solutions, is a prominent developer in the Australian soil carbon sector. They typically utilize a "soiltech" approach, combining physical soil sampling with remote sensing data to monitor changes. Projects like this are often designed to demonstrate that carbon farming can cover the costs of pasture renovation (such as multi-species seeding) through the sale of credits, effectively allowing farmers to upgrade their land management systems for free or at a profit.