Spender Carbon Project

The Spender Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located approximately 10 kilometers northwest of Cowra in the Central West region of New South Wales. Registered in June 2021, the project covers a project area of roughly 172 hectares. The surrounding Cowra region is a significant agricultural hub known for mixed farming, including sheep and cattle grazing as well as extensive cropping of wheat, canola, and vegetables.

Operating under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Measurement of Soil Carbon Sequestration in Agricultural Systems) Methodology Determination 2018, this project aims to increase soil organic carbon levels through improved land management. The specific activities undertaken involve altering the stocking rate, duration, or intensity of grazing. By optimizing the interaction between livestock and pasture, the proponent aims to stimulate root growth and biomass accumulation, which in turn sequesters atmospheric carbon into the soil profile.

The environmental conditions in the Cowra district typically support this type of carbon farming. The area receives an average annual rainfall of approximately 600mm to 650mm, which is generally considered sufficient to support the pasture growth required for soil carbon build-up. The local soil landscape is dominated by Red Chromosols and Dermosols, texture-contrast soils that are widely utilized for agriculture in the NSW South West Slopes and have the potential to store significant carbon when managed regeneratively.

This project is managed by AgriProve Solutions, a prominent carbon project developer in Australia known for utilizing digital technology and streamlined soil sampling to lower barriers for farmers. As a measurement-based project, the Spender Carbon Project relies on physical soil core sampling to empirically verify carbon increases over time, rather than relying solely on modelled estimates.