Nottle's Environmental Plantings Pilot Project - Carbon + Biodiversity R2-1494

Nottle's Environmental Plantings Pilot Project - Carbon + Biodiversity R2-1494 is an environmental planting project located in the Mid North region of South Australia, approximately 10 kilometers east of the town of Bute and 20 kilometers southwest of Snowtown. Registered in May 2023, the project covers approximately 38.6 hectares across the local government areas of Barunga West and Wakefield Regional Council.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings (FullCAM) methodology, which involves establishing permanent native forests on land that has been clear of forest cover for at least five years. As a participant in the "Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot," the project involves planting a mix of species native to the local "Northern and Yorke" Natural Resource Management region. To meet the methodology's definition of a forest, the planting must be maintained at a density of at least 200 stems per hectare, with the potential to achieve 20% crown cover and a height of 2 meters.

The surrounding region is a transitional zone between the Yorke Peninsula and the Mid North, traditionally used for dryland cropping (wheat, barley) and sheep grazing. The environment is characterized by a semi-arid to Mediterranean climate with winter-dominant rainfall averaging between 300mm and 400mm annually. Soils in this area typically consist of calcareous sandy loams and red-brown earths, which are fertile but can be susceptible to wind erosion if vegetation cover is removed.

A notable feature of this project is its participation in Round 2 of the Australian Government's Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot. This scheme rewards farmers for increasing on-farm biodiversity in addition to carbon sequestration. Public records indicate the proponent, P.S. Nottle & Son Pty. Ltd., secured a grant of approximately $142,881 under this pilot to support the biodiversity outcomes of the planting. Projects in this pilot often benefit from "alternative assurance" arrangements, which streamline the auditing process for lower-risk activities.