Riordan carbon project No3

Riordan carbon project No3 is a soil carbon sequestration project located approximately 3km southwest of the small township of Cavendish and 25km north of the major regional centre of Hamilton in Western Victoria. Registered in November 2021, the project covers nearly 229 hectares within the Southern Grampians Shire, a region renowned for its fertile volcanic plains. The area is a hub for mixed farming, predominantly supporting sheep and cattle grazing alongside cropping operations.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Measurement of Soil Carbon Sequestration in Agricultural Systems) Methodology Determination 2018. This methodology credits the measured increase in soil carbon stocks over time. To achieve this, the project involves applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address material nutrient deficiencies in the soil. By optimizing soil nutrition, the project aims to boost plant growth and root biomass, which in turn accelerates the sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere into the soil profile.

Environmentally, the Cavendish region benefits from a temperate climate with reliable annual rainfall averaging approximately 650mm. The local landscape is characterized by soils derived from the Newer Volcanics province, typically featuring fertile basaltic clay loams and silt loams which are highly conducive to pasture productivity when well-managed. The project is facilitated by Agriprove, Australia's largest soil carbon project developer, and is likely associated with the Riordan family or Riordan Grain Services, a prominent agribusiness in the Victorian grain and logistics sector.