Mahbrook soil carbon project

The Mahbrook Soil Carbon Project is an agricultural soil carbon sequestration project located in the Shire of Plantagenet, roughly 20km southeast of Mount Barker and north of Albany in Western Australia. Registered in December 2022, the project covers approximately 450 hectares on "Mahbrook," a property operating as a beef cattle breeder farm. The surrounding Great Southern region is a hub for mixed farming, viticulture, and grazing, characterized by a Mediterranean climate with high winter rainfall and soils that typically consist of gravelly loams and sandy duplexes.

This project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology (Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models). This method requires the proponent to establish a baseline of soil carbon stocks through physical testing and then implement new management activities designed to increase those stocks over time. Specifically, the Mahbrook project focuses on re-establishing or rejuvenating pastures through seeding and pasture cropping. These activities aim to boost biomass production and root growth, thereby drawing more carbon into the soil profile while supporting the property's cattle operations.

The project is led by proponent Jeffrey Schneider and partner Cass Porter, who engaged the specialist firm Carbon West to navigate the regulatory complexities of the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) scheme. Carbon West serves as the primary service provider/agent, ensuring the project meets the rigorous monitoring and reporting standards required by the Clean Energy Regulator.