R2029—Zeebra Plains case study

Fast facts

• Location: Zeebra Plains, Burnett Mary region
• Proponent: Christophe Bur
• Duration: Five years
• Carbon method: Avoided clearing

Christophe Bur and his family have found themselves at the forefront of regenerative carbon farming practices in Australia.

What started as an interest in becoming a carbon neutral beef enterprise has led them to become passionate about protecting and enhancing the biodiversity on their Zeebra Plains property and sharing their knowledge with others.

After researching how the Land Restoration Fund (LRF) worked and what it could offer his business, Christophe used the free tools to see if he had an eligible project with enough co-benefit offerings to be attractive for investment.

As the LRF looks to invest in projects that offer a range of benefits beyond carbon, the relatively small size of Christophe’s project did not impact his success.

The Bur family will receive $147,900 to avoid clearing Category X land for 25 years, and to deliver environmental benefits by managing feral pigs and reducing sediment runoff into waterways leading to the Great Barrier Reef.

Category X land is land that can be cleared without a permit under Queensland’s vegetation management laws. This land will now be protected for the long term.

The LRF project is one of three carbon farming projects Christophe is managing on his property and he is now an advocate for other land managers to do the same.

“Our approach is replicable on any farm, but it’s more than a recipe. It is the demonstration that looking at farming with a different mindset can bring both sustainability and business benefits. How it will be realised for each landholder might be different, but the important point is the willingness to give it a shot.”

When asked about the biggest benefits of integrating carbon farming into his beef cattle business, Christophe is quick to point out he’s received more than a financial return.

“Our greatest reward is to see our farm flourish and become more beautiful than it ever was before, but our proudest moment was the approval of our neighbours’ ERF (Emissions Reduction Fund) projects worth over 21 tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent). With our help, they took a chance to invest time in these projects, and now they are truly on the way to creating a sustainable operation that reduces carbon and improves their property as well.”