Lemmon Carbon Project

The Lemmon Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the South Burnett region of Queensland, approximately 45km west of the major town of Kingaroy. Registered on January 27, 2022, the project covers a land area of roughly 310 hectares. The project operates within the South Burnett's agricultural zone, a region renowned for its diverse mix of grazing and cropping, particularly its "red earth" volcanic soils (Ferrosols) and black cracking clays (Vertosols) which support significant peanut, navy bean, and beef production.

The project operates under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models (2021) methodology. This method allows landholders to earn Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by increasing the amount of carbon stored in their soil. To achieve this, the proponent, Agriprove Solutions, works with the landholder to implement changes in land management practices. For the Lemmon Carbon Project, these specific activities include altering stocking rates to improve vegetation cover, applying nutrients to address soil deficiencies, and re-establishing or rejuvenating pasture on land that was previously cropped or fallow.

The local environment is characterized by a sub-tropical climate with summer-dominant rainfall. The nearest weather stations in the Kingaroy and Kumbia area record an average annual rainfall of approximately 700mm to 800mm, creating favorable conditions for increasing soil organic carbon when combined with improved rotational grazing and pasture management. The project relies on a "hybrid" approach required by the 2021 methodology, utilizing initial physical soil sampling to establish a baseline, followed by periodic measurement and modelling to quantify carbon gains over time.

An interesting aspect of this project is its proponent, Agriprove, which is currently the largest developer of soil carbon projects in Australia. They typically utilize a digitally enabled model that integrates satellite data with soil testing to streamline the credit issuance process.