Danthonia Soil Carbon Project

Danthonia Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon project located at Elsmore, approximately 20km east of Inverell in the Northern Tablelands region of New South Wales. It was registered in May 2023 and covers 2,336.77 ha.

Soil carbon projects under the Measurement and Models methodology involve implementing new or materially different agricultural management practices to increase the storage of carbon in the agricultural system. These projects require rigorous baseline soil sampling and ongoing measurement, with a requirement to maintain the stored carbon for a permanence period of either 25 or 100 years.

The Northern Tablelands region is traditionally known for mixed farming, heavily featuring beef cattle grazing, sheep, and cropping operations. The area is considered a sub-humid climate with summer-dominant rainfall, though it is often subject to extremes of drought and flooding. The soils across this region are generally basalt-derived Dermosols and Chromosols.

This project aims to increase carbon in the soil by applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilisers to address material deficiencies and by using legume species in cropping or pasture systems. Interestingly, the project proponent, Church Communities Australia, operates the Danthonia Bruderhof, an intentional Christian community of around 200 residents living on the property. Over the last two decades, under the guidance of farm manager Johannes Meier, they have transitioned the property from degraded conventional farming to a highly successful model of regenerative agriculture and holistic rotational grazing. The project is partnered with Carbon Link Operations Pty Ltd, an Australian industry pioneer in advanced soil carbon scanning technology and project delivery.