Carbon Projects explained - Torben Heinzel Artwork

The Dirt by Loam

Brought to you by Loam, 'The Dirt' takes a closer look at how new technologies (particularly CarbonBuilder), science, and land management strategies can increase soil organic carbon (SOC) and turn your dirt into healthier agricultural soils.

Dan Reid from the Loam talks to farmers as well as experts from Loam and the agriculture industry about the basics of increasing carbon build, integrating new technologies on-farm, and participating in SecondCrop soil carbon projects in Australia.

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The Dirt by Loam

Carbon Projects explained - Torben Heinzel

June 23, 2023 • Dan Reid

Dan talks to Torben Heinzel about all the Steps in a SecondCrop Carbon Project.

Grower Feasibility Survey, Meet with Loam, Mapping, Land Management Strategy, Eligible Land Management Activities, Contract with Loam, Register with the Clean Energy Regulator, Farm Emissions Profile, Baseline Soil Sampling, T1 Soil Sampling and ACCU credits.

Link to Grower Feasibility Survey

Calculation for soil organic carbon

Using a measure of bulk density the amount of carbon per hectare in a given depth of soil can be calculated as shown.

The amount of organic carbon to 10cm depth in soil with a carbon value of 1.5% and bulk density of 1.3g/cm 3 is: 15 (g C/kg soil) x 1 300 000 (kg soil/ha) = 19.5t C/ha or 1.5 x 1.3 x 10 = 19.5t C/ha

Soil Carbon Project activities and eligibility requirements - Projects must introduce one or more of the following activities:

apply nutrients to the land
apply lime to remediate acid soils
apply gypsum to remediate sodic or magnesic soils
undertake new irrigation
re-establish or rejuvenate a pasture by seeding establishing or pasture cropping
establishing, and permanently maintaining, a pasture where there was previously no or limited pasture, such as on cropland or bare fallow
alter the stocking rate, duration or intensity of grazing
retain stubble after a crop is harvested
convert from intensive tillage practices to reduced or no tillage practices
modify landscape or landform features to remediate land
use mechanical methods to add or redistribute soil
use legume species in cropping or pasture system, or
use a cover crop to promote soil vegetation cover or improve soil health or both.