Kaizen Carbon 1

Kaizen Carbon 1 is a soil carbon sequestration project located approximately 15km west of the mining town of Tieri, in the Central Highlands region of Queensland. Registered in August 2024, the project covers a substantial area of 1,058 hectares. The location sits roughly 60km northeast of the regional hub of Emerald, an area heavily utilized for both coal mining and extensive agriculture, specifically cattle grazing and dryland cropping.

The project operates under the 2021 Soil Organic Carbon (Measurement and Models) methodology. This framework allows landholders to earn Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by sequestering carbon in agricultural soils through changes in land management. A key feature of this specific project is the introduction of legume species into cropping or pasture systems. Legumes are highly valued in carbon farming for their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, which can enhance plant growth, increase soil organic matter, and improve overall soil health without heavy reliance on synthetic fertilizers.

The Central Highlands region is characterized by a sub-tropical, semi-arid climate with summer-dominant rainfall. The landscape typically features fertile, heavy clay soils (Vertosols), which are well-suited for the project's activities but can be prone to compaction if not managed carefully. The inclusion of Dr. Kalpana Pudasaini as a project participant is a notable aspect; Dr. Kalpana Pudasaini is a Senior Research Officer at Central Queensland University (CQU) specializing in soil health and carbon farming policy. Her involvement suggests the project may benefit from rigorous scientific oversight or could serve as a case study for overcoming barriers to adoption in the carbon market.