Howson Carbon Project 15

Howson Carbon Project 15 is a soil organic carbon project located at the Tarramba property, approximately 20km northeast of Theodore in Central Queensland. Registered in March 2022, the project covers roughly 194 hectares and is part of a larger aggregation of soil carbon projects managed by the Gunthorpe Cattle Company, a prominent Brahman stud operation in the Banana Shire.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, which requires landholders to implement new management activities to sequester carbon in the soil. For this specific project, the activities involve altering the stocking rate and intensity of grazing, specifically through rotational grazing strategies, and rejuvenating pastures by seeding legumes and grasses. These changes are designed to increase soil biomass and improve soil health, with carbon stocks measured over time to generate credits.

Situated in the Dawson River Valley, the region is characterized by a sub-tropical climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 620mm. The landscape typically features the fertile, cracking clay soils (Vertosols) common to the Brigalow Belt, which are highly suitable for grazing but require careful management to maintain ground cover.

An interesting aspect of this project is its role as a Producer Demonstration Site for Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA). The Gunthorpe family uses the project to demonstrate how soil carbon sequestration can help red meat enterprises reach Carbon Neutral by 2030 (CN30) targets. As of late 2024, the broader Howson aggregation has successfully been issued Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), validating the measured increase in soil carbon.