Redden 2023 Carbon Project

Redden 2023 Carbon Project is a soil carbon sequestration project located approximately 20km southwest of Narromine and 45km west of Dubbo in the Central West region of New South Wales. Registered in July 2024, the project covers a substantial agricultural area of 1,668 hectares. The project operates within the "wheat-sheep belt," a region heavily utilized for mixed farming operations including winter cropping (wheat, barley, canola) and livestock grazing.

This project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology (Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models). This method credits landholders for increasing soil organic carbon stocks through changes in land management. While the specific registered activity involves applying nutrients to address material soil deficiencies, the project utilizes a hybrid approach of physical soil sampling and modelling to calculate carbon gains over time.

The Narromine region typically experiences a semi-arid to temperate climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 525mm. The local landscape is dominated by Red Chromosols (also known as Red Brown Earths), which are considered the "workhorse" soils of NSW agriculture, alongside areas of cracking clay soils (Vertosols) near watercourses. These soils are generally fertile but can be susceptible to structure decline, making them ideal candidates for soil carbon improvement strategies.

The project proponent, Loam Carbon (Loam Bio), is a prominent figure in the agricultural carbon sector, distinguishing this project from standard fertilizer applications. Loam Bio specializes in microbial seed coating technology (inoculum) designed to build stable soil carbon (CarbonBuilder). While the primary listed activity is nutrient application to fix deficiencies, a critical step for optimizing plant growth and root biomass, it is highly likely this project integrates Loam's fungal technology to maximize the durability of the carbon stored.