Bury Carbon Project 3

Bury Carbon Project 3 is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the West Wimmera region of Victoria, approximately 35km southwest of Kaniva and near the South Australian border. Registered in May 2023, the project covers 407 hectares of agricultural land.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, which credits landholders for increasing Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) stocks through changes in land management. Standard requirements for this method involve establishing a baseline of soil carbon through testing and modelling, followed by the implementation of new agricultural practices. The project must demonstrate that carbon levels are increasing over time relative to what would have occurred without the project.

The West Wimmera region is a significant dryland cropping and grazing area. The climate is generally semi-arid to Mediterranean, characterised by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 450mm. The local soil profile typically features self-mulching Vertosols (cracking clays) and Sodosols, which are productive but can be sensitive to management changes.

Agriprove Solutions, the project proponent, facilitates these projects by helping farmers transition from intensive tillage to reduced or no-tillage systems. Specific activities for this project include retaining stubble after harvest and applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilisers to correct nutrient deficiencies, all aimed at boosting plant growth and subsequent carbon capture in the soil.