Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot R2-1445 - Strathdene Planting Project

Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot R2-1445 - Strathdene Planting Project is an environmental planting project located approximately 5km northeast of Jamestown in the Mid North region of South Australia. Registered in January 2023, the project covers a total area of 32.23 hectares. The surrounding region falls within the Northern Areas Council and is historically characterized by mixed agricultural land use, primarily cereal cropping and livestock grazing, situated near the transition of Goyder's Line which demarcates suitable cropping land.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings (FullCAM) methodology. This involves establishing permanent forest cover using a mix of native tree and shrub species on land that was previously cleared for agriculture. As a participant in Round 2 of the Australian Government's Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot, the project aims to deliver biodiversity improvements alongside carbon sequestration. This typically requires a higher diversity of species and specific planting protocols to create habitats, rather than monoculture timber plantations.

Environmentally, the Jamestown area experiences a semi-arid climate with distinct seasonal variation, warm, dry summers and cool, relatively wet winters. Annual rainfall in the region generally averages between 400mm and 500mm. The landscape is often defined by Red Brown Earths (Chromosols) and Calcarosols, which are fertile but can be susceptible to erosion if vegetation cover is removed. The planting of native mixed species in this location helps stabilize the soil and provides shelter for livestock and local wildlife.

A notable aspect of this project is its inclusion in the Agriculture Stewardship Package's Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot. Unlike standard carbon projects that rely solely on the sale of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), this pilot provides the proponent with additional payments for maintaining high-quality biodiversity outcomes. This dual-stream funding model encourages landholders to revegetate with a focus on ecological restoration rather than just carbon mass.