Wards Mistake Soil Carbon Project

The Wards Mistake Soil Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration initiative located in the locality of Wards Mistake, situated approximately 50km northeast of Guyra and 60km northeast of Armidale in the New England region of New South Wales. Registered in December 2023, the project covers a substantial area of 2,938 hectares. The project is managed by proponent Andrew Munro and operates within a region traditionally dominated by high-country grazing of beef cattle and fine wool sheep.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology rewards landholders for increasing Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) stocks through changes in land management. Unlike tree-planting projects, this method requires rigorous physical soil sampling to establish a baseline, followed by subsequent sampling rounds to verify carbon increases over time. The specific activity undertaken for this project is the application of synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address material soil deficiencies, a practice designed to boost plant growth and, consequently, the input of carbon into the soil profile.

The New England Tablelands environment is well-suited for soil carbon projects due to its cool temperate climate and relatively reliable rainfall compared to western New South Wales. The region typically experiences a summer-dominant rainfall pattern, and the soils in the Wards Mistake area are generally characterized by trap rock (sedimentary) and granite formations. These soil types, combined with higher rainfall, provide a favorable baseline for building soil carbon compared to more arid rangelands.