Howson Carbon Project 8

Howson Carbon Project 8 is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Banana Shire of Central Queensland, approximately 30 kilometres south of the township of Banana and north of Theodore. Registered in March 2022, the project covers 116 hectares of agricultural land known for cattle grazing. The project is part of a larger aggregation of soil carbon initiatives undertaken by the Gunthorpe Cattle Company (trading as Tarramba Brahmans) in partnership with the project proponent, Agriprove.

The project operates under the 2021 Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models methodology. This method credits landholders for increasing soil organic carbon stocks through changes in land management. Standard requirements involve establishing a baseline soil carbon level through sampling, implementing new management activities to sequester carbon, and conducting subsequent sampling rounds to verify the increase. Credits (ACCUs) are issued based on the measured difference in carbon stocks over time, minus any emissions generated by the project activities.

The region typically experiences a sub-tropical, semi-arid climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 620mm. The landscape in the Dawson River Valley is characterized by fertile soil types, predominantly Vertosols (cracking clays) and Dermosols, which are historically associated with the Brigalow Belt and are well-suited for grazing when managed effectively.

Specific activities for the Howson projects include shifting to time-controlled rotational grazing to match stocking rates with carrying capacity, installing new water infrastructure and fencing to facilitate paddock subdivision, and establishing legumes to improve pasture biomass. The wider aggregation of Howson projects has been highlighted as a successful example of producer-led climate action, with earlier stages of the aggregation already achieving ACCU issuance within two years of operation. The site also serves as a demonstration site for Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) research into carbon-neutral grazing.