Reynolds Carbon Project 1

Reynolds Carbon Project 1 is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, approximately 25km north of Meckering and 20km southeast of Goomalling. Registered in November 2023, the project covers 262.84 hectares of agricultural land in an area traditionally known for mixed farming, specifically sheep grazing and cereal cropping. The "Reynolds" in the project name likely refers to the landholders, a family with historic pastoral ties to the Meckering and Warding districts dating back to the early 20th century.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology (Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models). This method allows farmers to earn Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by changing land management practices to increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil. The process involves establishing a baseline of soil carbon levels through physical soil core sampling, implementing new management activities, and then re-measuring soil carbon stocks after several years to quantify the increase.

Situated in a semi-arid Mediterranean climate zone, the region typically receives around 350mm of annual rainfall, predominantly in winter. The local environment is characterized by the sandy loam and duplex soils common to the central Wheatbelt, which can be susceptible to issues like water repellency but are responsive to improved management. To drive carbon sequestration, this project's specific activities include the application of synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies and the rejuvenation of pastures through seeding or pasture cropping. These activities aim to boost plant growth and root biomass, thereby cycling more organic matter into the soil profile.