Spooner Carbon Project

Spooner Carbon Project is a soil carbon project located approximately 32km south of Mackay in the Mackay local government area of Queensland. Registered in September 2021, the project covers a relatively small area of 64.73 hectares. The surrounding region is predominantly known for cattle grazing, sugarcane cropping, and tropical forestry operations.

Soil carbon projects under the 2021 Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models methodology involve implementing new agricultural land management activities to build and store carbon in soils. This specific project seeks to achieve carbon sequestration by altering the stocking rate, duration, or intensity of cattle grazing. These strategic grazing changes aim to promote soil vegetation cover, improve overall soil health, and increase the amount of carbon drawn down into the pasture ecosystem.

The Mackay region experiences a wet-dry tropical climate characterized by high summer rainfall. The agricultural soils in this coastal and sub-coastal area generally consist of fertile alluvial loams, texture-contrast soils, and cracking clays, which provide a strong foundation for biological activity and soil carbon retention when managed optimally.

An interesting note is that on June 23, 2023, the project varied its method from the older 2018 Measurement of Soil Carbon Sequestration methodology to the updated 2021 determination. This updated methodology allows developers like AgriProve, who operate as Australia's leading soil carbon platform, to combine direct soil core sampling with advanced modeling to measure changes in soil organic carbon more efficiently. According to registry data, the project has nominated a 25-year permanence period.