Downer Carbon Project 1

Downer Carbon Project 1 is a soil organic carbon sequestration project located in the Tatiara District of South Australia, approximately 15km southeast of the major regional service centre of Bordertown. The project was registered in August 2022 and covers an area of roughly 369 hectares.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, which involves implementing new land management activities to sequester carbon in the soil profile. Specific activities for this project include addressing nutrient deficiencies through synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers, retaining crop stubble rather than burning or removing it, and transitioning from intensive tillage to reduced or no-tillage practices. These changes are designed to improve soil structure and increase organic matter retention over the 25-year crediting period.

The Tatiara region, often referred to as "Good Country" by locals, is a highly productive agricultural zone known for mixed cropping and livestock grazing (sheep and cattle). The area typically experiences a Mediterranean climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 450-500mm, falling mostly in winter. The local landscape is characterized by gently undulating plains with soil types that generally consist of fertile cracking clays or duplex soils (sandy loam over clay), which are well-suited to the project's focus on cropping efficiency and soil health.