'Glenavon Soil Carbon Project

Glenavon Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located approximately 15km northeast of Guyra in the Northern Tablelands region of New South Wales. It was registered in September 2022 and covers an area of 2,227.36 hectares.

Soil carbon projects implemented under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models method involve storing carbon in agricultural soils by adopting new land management practices. For this project, the proponents are altering the stocking rate, duration, or intensity of grazing to promote soil vegetation cover and improve overall soil health. This methodology requires initial baseline soil sampling and subsequent measuring or modelling to quantify the carbon sequestered in the soil over the project's 25-year permanence period.

The Guyra area and the wider New England Tablelands are well-known for high-quality livestock grazing, particularly beef cattle and sheep. The region features a temperate climate with high, summer-dominant rainfall averaging around 880mm annually. The environment is defined by its Tertiary Basalt geology, yielding deep, heavy basalt soils commonly classified as Red and Black Ferrosols, which are exceptionally well-suited for highly improved pastures.

This project is operated by Richard and Prue Post of the Glenavon Angus stud, who represent the fifth generation to manage their family property, "Outer Bald Blair". Spurred by the impacts of the 2019 drought, the Posts partnered with the Armidale-based firm Precision Pastures to undertake baseline soil measurements and complete a 'Carbon Starter Report'. The carbon project aims to complement their existing enterprises, which include a seedstock Angus herd, a commercial cow-calf operation, and a prime lamb flock, by using data-driven agricultural technology to increase farm productivity while simultaneously capturing carbon offset opportunities.