Vale Carbon Project 3

Vale Carbon Project 3 is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the locality of Keppoch within the Limestone Coast region of South Australia. The project is situated approximately 20 kilometers southeast of Padthaway and 30 kilometers northwest of the major regional centre of Naracoorte. Registered on August 12, 2024, the project covers a land area of approximately 134 hectares.

The surrounding Limestone Coast region is a significant agricultural hub, well-regarded for its "Terra Rossa" soils, red clay loam over limestone, which support extensive vineyards, particularly in the nearby Padthaway wine region. The broader landscape, including the Keppoch area, is heavily utilized for mixed farming, including sheep and cattle grazing as well as cropping. The environment typically experiences a Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers, receiving an average annual rainfall of approximately 450mm to 550mm.

This project operates under the Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models (2021) methodology. This method rewards landholders for increasing Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) stocks through changes in land management. Specific activities for this project include applying nutrients (synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers) to address deficiencies, using lime to remediate soil acidity, rejuvenating pastures via seeding, and altering grazing intensity or duration to improve vegetation cover.

Vale Carbon Project 3 appears to be part of a larger aggregation or segmented property development, as evidenced by the concurrent existence of "Vale Carbon Project 2" in the same local government area. The project is developed by Agriprove, a prominent soil carbon project developer in Australia known for managing a large portfolio of soil carbon projects.