Cotton Carbon Project 1

Cotton Carbon Project 1 is a soil carbon sequestration project located approximately 20 kilometers southeast of Armidale in the New England region of New South Wales. Registered in October 2022, the project covers 149 hectares of agricultural land. The site is situated near the locality of Enmore, within the Armidale Regional Council area.

The project operates under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models 2021 methodology. This method awards carbon credits for increases in soil carbon levels achieved through new land management activities. For this specific project, the activities include altering grazing intensity to promote vegetation cover, applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies, and rejuvenating pastures through seeding. These actions are designed to boost biomass production and sequester atmospheric carbon into the soil profile.

The surrounding New England Tablelands region is characterized by a cool temperate climate with a summer-dominant rainfall pattern, averaging approximately 790mm annually. The area is renowned for high-quality grazing (cattle and sheep) and fine wool production. Soils in this specific locality to the southeast of Armidale are typically derived from 'trap' rock (sedimentary) or basalt, which are generally fertile but can be heavy clays that require careful management to prevent compaction, a key focus of the soil carbon methodology.

It is worth noting that despite the project name "Cotton Carbon," the Armidale region is too cold and elevated for commercial cotton cropping. The name likely refers to the landholder's surname or a specific property name rather than the crop itself. The project represents a growing trend of smaller-scale, high-value grazing properties in the New England region participating in the carbon market to diversify income and improve soil health.