Pilot projects
In 2019, the Land Restoration Fund (LRF) pilot projects program allocated $5 million in funding for two grant streams: Kickstarting the Market and Catalysing Action. These projects aimed to expand the scope of Queensland’s carbon farming industry through market development and on-ground projects.
The pilot projects provided the LRF with valuable insights into blue carbon, beef herd method aggregation, First Nations engagement in carbon projects and development of new environmental credits, including Cassowary Credits. The LRF is continuing to work with the six Catalysing Action projects to capture co-benefit outcomes from projects generating Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).
Kickstarting the Market grants program
Funding of $1 million supported Kickstarting the Market projects that built future participation in the LRF by enabling market growth for carbon and other ecosystem services.
All Kickstarting the Market projects have been completed, the outcomes of these projects are listed below.
| Project | Applicant | Location | Description | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue carbon opportunities in Queensland: how much and where? | Blue Carbon Lab, Deakin University | Queensland coastal zone (Great Barrier Reef catchments) | This project assessed blue carbon potential in Queensland. It included mapping of carbon stocks, identifying the drivers of blue carbon sequestration, and modelling potential net sequestration under various management regimes. |
Great Barrier Reef coastal wetlands hold a blue carbon stock of over 111 million tonnes CO²e. This is equivalent to the annual emissions of 87 million cars. This project found that a total of 256 million tonnes of CO²e could be sequestered through techniques such as reinstating tidal exchange and removing
tidal barriers in ~90,000 ha throughout Great Barrier Reef catchments. A map of current Queensland blue carbon stocks was created, information which is critical for informing potential future investment in Blue Carbon through the Land Restoration Fund. Two scientific papers were published from this project:
|
| Facilitating adoption of the Beef Cattle Herd Management Method as a foundation for the Land Restoration Fund in North-West Queensland | Southern Gulf NRM | Southern Gulf NRM Region | This project investigated the feasibility of a Herd Efficiency Aggregation Model to increase participation in carbon farming in Northwest Queensland that would deliver economic, environmental, social and cultural benefits to regional communities. |
The Herd Efficiency Aggregation (HEA) Model would enable many landholders with smaller herds to access the Australian carbon market via the Beef Cattle Herd Management method. Previously, these projects were priced-out due to high administrative and compliance fees associated with market participation
and producers had to have a minimum of 50,000 head to participate. The HEA model investigated the feasibility of reducing individual heard sizes to as little as 1,000 head (forming an aggregated herd of no less than 100,000 head). This project conducted a feasibility analysis on the HEA model including estimating a reduction of participation costs and minimum enterprise size and minimum ACCU value necessary for projects to be financially viable. |
| Kickstarting action carbon, culture, ecology and economies in Cape York | Cape York Natural Resource Management | Cape York Peninsula–Normanby Basin | This project developed a feasibility report and governance structure for an aggregated carbon project across 14 properties in the Normanby Catchment, which accounted for the cultural and biodiversity co-benefits of savanna burning. |
The potential for carbon abatement using the Savanna Burning Methodology is not financially viable for the entire Normanby Catchment. This project used spatial analysis to suggest areas where an aggregated carbon project with co-benefits in the Normanby Basin was worth further investigation. An aggregated
Savannah Burning project would allow greater participation in carbon farming, however the cost and feasibility of coordinating multiple entities poses a challenge. Engagement meetings and workshops were held to increase knowledge of carbon farming within the indigenous land management groups in the Normanby Basin. Accredited fire training was also provided for Rinyirru Aboriginal Corporation and Melsonby Rangers to be able to undertake fire management activities (including cultural burning) in Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land National Parks (CYPAL NP). This will facilitate greater involvement of Indigenous rangers in future fire management activities. |
| Kickstarting cassowary credits for carbon and community | FNQ Natural Resource Management | Wet Tropics bioregion | This project investigated a Cassowary Credit scheme to catalyse participation in environmental service markets in the Wet Tropics. | Preliminary research suggests there is demand for a biodiversity-focused credit for the Wet Tropics that can be ‘stacked’ with other natural capital credit schemes (i.e., Reef Credits and ACCUs). The Cassowary Credit would be based on a standardised rainforest land assessment framework which measures rainforest improvement. It is hoped this would encourage investment into rainforest rehabilitation which is generally more expensive relative to other land types. Further research is underway to continue development and testing of this scheme. |
| Protecting threatened species and restoring grazing | World Wide Fund for Nature Australia | Great Barrier Reef catchments | A business case analysis was developed for carbon farming using Human Induced Regeneration of a Permanent Even Aged Forest (HIR) on three grazing properties in Queensland, that would deliver biodiversity co-benefits. | The HIR method offers opportunities for beef producers to diversify their enterprises, receive drought-proof income, get a comparable return on assets/investment to their existing enterprises and add value to their portfolio. Recommendations were made from this analysis aimed at increasing participation of beef producers in carbon farming by addressing the financial (management and monitoring) and opportunity costs to undertaking carbon projects. A follow up quantitative analysis is underway to determine the relationship between tree cover and productivity on grazing land. |
| Strategic analysis of Cape York Peninsula fire patterns leading to increased carbon credits through optimised regional management | Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation | Cape York Peninsula | This project involved a strategic analysis of Cape York Peninsula (CYP) fire patterns to increase carbon abatement though optimised regional-scale management. | An analysis of the additional ACCUs that could be available through more effective fire management across CYP was conducted, including identification of locations providing greatest potential for emission reduction and areas where projects could be made economical through regional co-operation. An ACCUs forecasting tool was developed that assessed the benefits of existing and prospective savannah burning projects in CYP. Optimisation strategies were identified to increase ACCUs on two project areas (Merepah Station and Wik Lands). A workshop was conducted to seek input on the analysis involving CSIRO, APN, ILSC, Natural Carbon and Balkanu. |
Catalysing Action grants program
Funding of $4 million supported on-the-ground Catalysing Action projects that demonstrated the delivery of carbon abatement alongside measurable environmental, socio-economic and First Nations co-benefits.
| Project | Applicant | Location | Description | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Carbon and Farm land Restoration | World Wide Fund for Nature Australia | Reef catchments | This project aims to restore tidal connectivity in the Ninds Creek and Etty Bay Road Conservation Park area near Innisfail. The project team collects data on natural resources, farm productivity and profitability both pre- and post-intervention. This is in partnership with James Cook University, the University of Queensland, Queensland Trust for Nature, Greenfleet and local property owners. | Pilot project activities are ongoing. |
| Permanent Tropical Reforestation with Native Conifers, Riparian and High Biodiversity Rainforest Plantings | Tablelands Regional Council | Reef catchments | This project seeks to demonstrate economically efficient and biodiverse rainforest restoration on the Atherton Tablelands in partnership with Native Conifer Carbon Sink and local landholders It uses a mix of native conifers and rainforests species. | Pilot project activities are ongoing. |
| Murra Yambangku Carbon Project | Yambangku Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and Tourism Development Aboriginal Corporation | Central Western Qld | This project seeks to build capacity of First Nations people in delivering carbon farming projects, particularly through human-induced vegetation regeneration. The project aims to demonstrate cultural, economic, social and environmental benefits on a grazing property in western Queensland and in partnership with the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation. | Pilot project activities are ongoing. |
| Tradition meets Innovation – Gidarjil Development Corporation Carbon Project Alliance | Gidarjil Development Corporation | Central Qld | Gidarjil Collective Carbon Project ‘Tradition Meets Innovation’ will trial a collective approach to carbon farming using traditional mosaic and fire-stick farming to regenerate native forest and control non-native species on three properties in the Burnett Mary Catchment. This is in partnership with the Burnett Mary Regional Group, NRM Regions Queensland, and Central Queensland University. | Pilot project activities are ongoing. |
| Counting the co-benefits: carbon, connectivity, koalas and water | Queensland Trust for Nature (QTFN) | South East Qld | QTFN will seek to improve and increase koala habitat and the habitat of other threatened species such as the brush-tailed rock wallaby and the glossy black cockatoo in the Bremer and Lockyer catchments. This is in partnership with Green Collar, Healthy Land and Water, and others. | Pilot project activities are ongoing. |
| Active landscape management pilot | Bush Heritage Australia | South West Qld | This is a new landscape management pilot in the Rangelands and the Brigalow Belt. It will enable Bush Heritage Australia to investigate how a range of land management techniques such as rotational grazing and ecological thinning of vegetation can contribute to carbon sequestration. | Pilot project activities are ongoing. |