Staples Carbon Project

The Staples Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria, approximately 6 kilometers northeast of the small town of Murchison and about 35 kilometers south of the regional center of Shepparton. Registered in January 2023, the project covers a specific land area of 47.53 hectares. The surrounding region is a significant agricultural hub known for a mix of dryland cropping, sheep and cattle grazing, and irrigated horticulture along the river systems.

This project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology, which incentivizes landholders to adopt farming practices that measurably increase Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) stocks. By modifying land management strategies, specifically through the application of synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies and the use of cover crops to improve vegetation cover, the project aims to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the soil. As a "Measurement and Models" project, it likely combines physical soil sampling with predictive modeling to calculate abatement.

The environment in the Murchison area is characterized by a temperate climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 450mm to 500mm, which supports the mixed-farming systems common to the district. The local geography is part of the Riverine Plains, where soils are typically Red-Brown Earths (Chromosols or Sodosols). These soils generally feature a loamy surface texture overlying a clay subsoil, making them productive for pasture and cropping when managed to prevent compaction and nutrient loss.

Developed by Agriprove Solutions, a prominent soil carbon project developer in Australia, this project appears to be a targeted initiative given its relatively small size of under 50 hectares. The naming convention of the proponent entity, "Agriprove Solutions Co No.2," suggests this project may be part of a broader portfolio or aggregation vehicle designed to streamline administration for multiple landholders.