Empire Hill Soil Carbon Project

Empire Hill Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located approximately 15 kilometers northeast of Coonalpyn in the Upper South East region of South Australia. Registered on March 20, 2023, the project covers a total area of 819 hectares. The project is situated within the Coorong District, a region historically known as the "Ninety Mile Desert" before agricultural developments in the mid-20th century transformed it into a productive zone for mixed farming, including grain cropping, sheep, and cattle grazing.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology credits landholders for increasing soil organic carbon levels through changes in land management practices. To generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), the project must demonstrate a measurable increase in soil carbon stocks over time compared to a baseline, verified through a rigorous regime of physical soil sampling and modelling.

The environment in this region is characterized by a semi-arid to Mediterranean climate with annual rainfall typically between 400mm and 450mm. The local landscape, part of the Coonalpyn Land System, features flat to gently undulating plains dominated by calcareous loamy soils, often shallow over calcrete, and deep siliceous sands. These sandy "Mallee" soils are naturally low in fertility and prone to water repellence, often requiring careful management to maintain productivity.

A key activity of this project involves applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address material soil deficiencies. This aligns with the historical agricultural context of the Coonalpyn area, where the application of trace elements like zinc and copper, alongside superphosphate, was critical in unlocking the land's potential. By correcting these nutrient deficits, the project aims to boost plant biomass production, which in turn increases the organic carbon sequestered in the soil profile. The project is managed with the assistance of Australian Soil Management Pty Ltd.