Morrison Carbon Project 2

Morrison Carbon Project 2 is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Shire of Goomalling, approximately 45km north of the major regional center of Northam and 130km northeast of Perth, Western Australia. Registered on April 29, 2022, the project covers a specific area of 110.50 hectares within the broader agricultural landscape of the Western Australian Wheatbelt. The region is heavily utilized for mixed farming, typically combining broadacre cropping (wheat, barley, lupins) with sheep grazing.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models) Methodology Determination 2021. This high-integrity methodology rewards landholders for increasing Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) stocks. Unlike earlier methods that relied solely on measurement, the 2021 determination allows for a hybrid approach using physical soil core sampling and modeled estimates to determine carbon increases over time. To generate credits, the proponent must implement new Land Management Activities (LMAs), which in this case involve rejuvenating pastures through seeding or cropping and altering grazing intensity to improve ground cover and soil health.

Environmentally, the Goomalling area experiences a semi-arid Mediterranean climate with a mean annual rainfall of approximately 370mm, predominantly falling in winter. The local terrain typically features sandy loams and duplex soils (sand over clay), which are common in the Avon River basin but often naturally low in organic carbon. These conditions make the soil responsive to regenerative practices like multispecies pasture cropping and rotational grazing, which aim to build carbon stocks despite the dry summers.

A significant note regarding this project is its association with the broader "Morrison" aggregation managed by farmer Ian Clarke. The initial Morrison Carbon Project was celebrated as the first soil carbon project in Western Australia to be issued Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), marking a major milestone for the state's regenerative agriculture sector. Morrison Carbon Project 2 appears to be a subsequent or complementary registration expanding these successful practices across further paddocks within the enterprise.