Paltridge Carbon Project 1

Paltridge Carbon Project 1 is a soil carbon sequestration project located near Willalooka, approximately 35km southwest of Bordertown in the Tatiara district of South Australia. Registered on August 29, 2022, the project covers a project area of roughly 385 hectares. The region is well-known for mixed farming operations, particularly livestock grazing and lucerne production, often on property aggregations owned by long-established local families such as the Paltridges.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology ("Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models"). This method allows landholders to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by sequestering carbon in agricultural soils through changes in land management. Specific activities for this project include applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies, retaining crop stubble, and converting to reduced or no-tillage practices. These activities are designed to build soil organic matter, which improves soil health and water-holding capacity, a critical factor for the region's productivity.

Environmentally, the Willalooka and Tatiara region is characterized by a "Mediterranean" climate with medium rainfall, typically averaging between 450mm and 500mm annually. The local soil profile often consists of the "Willalooka Sand" complex, sandy topsoils overlying clay or limestone subsoils. These soils can be naturally low in fertility and prone to water repellence, making the project's focus on increasing soil carbon particularly beneficial for stabilizing the soil structure and enhancing pasture growth.