Nelson Carbon Project

Nelson Carbon Project is a Soil Carbon project located approximately 4km northwest of Beaufort in the Pyrenees Shire of central-west Victoria, roughly 45km northwest of Ballarat. It was registered on July 21, 2025, and covers an area of 64.85 hectares.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models) Methodology Determination 2021. Soil carbon projects aim to sequester atmospheric carbon into agricultural soils by modifying land management practices. To generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), projects must establish a baseline of soil carbon levels and demonstrate a measurable increase over time through regular testing. For the Nelson Carbon Project, planned activities include altering the stocking rate and intensity of grazing to promote soil vegetation cover. The project also involves re-establishing or rejuvenating pastures through seeding, and applying soil ameliorants such as lime for acid soils, gypsum for sodic or magnesic soils, and targeted synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address material nutrient deficiencies.

The Pyrenees region surrounding Beaufort is a prominent agricultural area, predominantly supporting mixed farming enterprises such as sheep grazing for wool and meat, broadacre cropping, and viticulture. The environment features a Mediterranean climate with a moderate average annual rainfall of 500-550mm. The local undulating landscape is characterized by highly variable soil types, prominently featuring texture-contrast soils like Sodosols and Chromosols, which have sandy or loamy topsoils overlying heavy clay subsoils. Because these regional agricultural soils are frequently naturally acidic and prone to sodicity, the project's strategy to apply lime and gypsum is highly suited to remediating the local soil profile and boosting pasture productivity.

The project is managed by AgriProve Solutions Co No.2 Pty Ltd, an entity associated with AgriProve, a major developer in the Australian soil carbon market that partners with farmers to implement regenerative agriculture practices. By participating in the scheme, the landholders aim to improve long-term soil health, build climate resilience, and generate diversified income through carbon credits.