Ward Carbon Project

The Ward Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration initiative located approximately 7.5km southeast of the small town of Ardlethan and 60km northwest of Temora in the Riverina region of New South Wales. Registered in September 2021, the project covers a project area of 193.71 hectares. The surrounding Riverina district is a major agricultural hub, primarily utilized for dryland cropping (wheat, canola, barley) and sheep grazing.

This project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology rewards landholders for increasing soil organic carbon levels through changes in land management. Specific activities undertaken by the Ward Carbon Project include converting from intensive tillage to reduced or no-tillage practices, retaining crop stubble after harvest, and applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies. These practices are designed to minimize soil disturbance and improve biomass retention, which in turn sequesters atmospheric carbon into the soil profile.

The environment in the Ardlethan region is characterized by a semi-arid to temperate climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 480mm to 530mm. The rainfall is generally winter-dominant, supporting the region's winter cropping cycles. The local soil landscape is dominated by Red Chromosols (also known as Red Brown Earths) and Sodosols. These soils are typical of the New South Wales wheat belt; they often feature a strong texture contrast between the topsoil and subsoil and can be susceptible to surface sealing if not managed carefully with practices like those implemented in this project.

The project is managed by Agriprove Solutions Pty Ltd, a prominent carbon project developer in Australia known for its "soiltech" approach. Agriprove typically utilizes digital mapping and soil testing to streamline the registration and credit generation process for farmers. The project originally operated under the 2018 soil carbon determination before transitioning to the updated 2021 model-based methodology in October 2023, which allows for a hybrid approach of physical measurement and modeling to estimate carbon stocks.