Garrett Carbon Project 1

Garrett Carbon Project 1 is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Neilrex district of New South Wales, approximately 20km northeast of Mendooran and 45km southwest of Coonabarabran. Registered in July 2024, the project covers 207.81 hectares within the Warrumbungle Shire. The region is situated on the transition between the Central West Slopes and the North West Plains, an area predominantly utilized for mixed farming operations, including sheep and cattle grazing as well as cereal cropping.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Carbon methodology (Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models). This framework requires the project proponent to establish a baseline of soil carbon through physical core sampling. Subsequent management activities, such as altering stocking density, implementing rotational grazing, or introducing pasture cropping, are then employed to increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil profile. Credits are issued based on the measured increase in soil carbon stocks over time, minus any emissions generated by the agricultural activities.

Environmentally, the site lies within a warm temperate zone with an average annual rainfall of approximately 600mm to 650mm, which is generally sufficient to support pasture rejuvenation during favorable seasons. The soils in this district are diverse, typically featuring Red Chromosols (red-brown earths) and sandy loams common to the Castlereagh River catchment, with some heavier clay deposits found in lower-lying flats. The project aims to improve soil health and vegetation cover through its specific grazing and seeding strategies.