Courtice Carbon Project 11

Courtice Carbon Project 11 is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Tatiara District of South Australia, approximately 55km north of Bordertown and 60km south of Pinnaroo. Registered in November 2021, the project covers a 331-hectare area in the transitional zone between the fertile Tatiara cropping lands and the sandy Mallee scrub, near the edge of the Ngarkat Conservation Park. The region is primarily utilized for dryland grazing and mixed farming.

The project operates under the Measurement of Soil Carbon Sequestration in Agricultural Systems methodology. This framework allows landholders to earn Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by implementing new management activities that increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil. Specific activities for this project include altering stocking rates to improve ground cover, applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies, and rejuvenating pastures through seeding. These changes are designed to boost plant growth and root biomass, which in turn sequesters atmospheric carbon into the soil profile.

Environmentally, the site sits within a semi-arid to Mediterranean climate zone, characterized by winter-dominant rainfall averaging around 400mm to 450mm annually. The soils in this northern fringe of the Tatiara district are typically sandy loams or duplex soils (sand over clay), which are often naturally low in nutrients and prone to wind erosion if not carefully managed. The project's focus on nutrient application and permanent pasture maintenance is well-suited to improving the productivity and resilience of these lighter soil types.

An interesting aspect of this project is its association with the Courtice family, likely linked to former federal politician and farmer Brian Courtice, who has been vocal about agricultural issues in South Australia. The project is one of multiple registered by the same proponents in the area (including Courtice Carbon Project 10), indicating a broader strategic shift towards carbon farming across their aggregation. The project is managed by Agriprove, a leading developer in the Australian soil carbon sector.