Willowlee Soil Carbon Project

Willowlee Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located at Sandigo, roughly 20km east of Narrandera and 60km west of Wagga Wagga in the Riverina region of New South Wales. Registered in November 2023, the project covers approximately 389 hectares of agricultural land known for cattle grazing. The property, "Willowlee," is operated by the Gooden family, who run the Old Man Creek Grass Fed Bulls stud and practice holistic management principles to improve landscape health.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology (Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models). This method requires the proponent to baseline current soil carbon levels through physical sampling and then implement specific land management activities designed to increase soil organic carbon stocks. In this case, the project activities include applying synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies and incorporating legume species into pasture systems. Credits are generated based on the measured and modelled increase in soil carbon over time.

Environmentally, the region is characterized by a temperate to semi-arid climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 433mm. The local soil profile typically consists of Chromosols, which are texture-contrast soils common in Australian agricultural zones. The proponents, Michael and Heloise Gooden, are active members of the "8 Families" regenerative farming group and have a history of utilizing time-controlled rotational grazing to regenerate native grass diversity and ground cover on the property.