Following a $200,000 Country Road Climate Fund grant, Landcare Australia has successfully launched an online toolkit to support Australian farmers in navigating the carbon market while improving biodiversity.
Farmers are at the heart of Australia’s economy, supplying the food and fibres we rely on every day while facing the growing challenges of climate change. Recognising the potential of agricultural land to support wildlife and the people who work on it, Landcare Australia is supporting eligible farmers* to improve biodiversity on their properties.
Since 2011, the Australian Government has rewarded farmers for reducing or storing carbon through the Australian Carbon Credit Unit scheme (ACCU). While the scheme is growing in popularity, barriers to its uptake remain. With the help of the Climate Fund grant, Landcare Australia has created a free online toolkit, the Environmental Plantings Toolkit, to support eligible farmers to understand their opportunities to participate in the ‘green economy’.
“The government’s carbon credit scheme provides benefits to the environment, landholders and the community,” explains Dr Shane Norrish, CEO of Landcare Australia. “One way for eligible farmers to participate is by planting native vegetation to sequester carbon. Large-scale plantings can reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide, a primary cause of global warming and climate change, and restore biodiversity while controlling erosion and improving farm productivity.”
In addition to sequestering carbon, environmental plantings enhance on-farm conditions by improving paddocks for grazing, offering shade and shelter for livestock, and creating habitat for native wildlife. These improvements can also help farmers meet evolving supply chain expectations, particularly those set by brands purchasing natural fibres like wool and cotton.
“For eligible farmers, carbon farming may be considered as a way to diversify revenue,” added Dr Norrish. “Selling carbon credits may provide a valuable second income stream, supplementing their primary agricultural income.”
Recognising the complexities of the carbon market, Dr Norrish explains the need for a practical resource from a trusted Australian not-for-profit.
“For primary producers already juggling the everyday challenges and demands of complex agricultural businesses, many will look to a trusted source for guidance before branching into the carbon market. Landcare Australia has worked at the intersection of the agricultural and environmental sectors since its inception in 1989 and is well placed to support eligible landholders in this market.”
“The Climate Fund provided critical resources for Landcare Australia to develop the toolkit. We look forward to growers utilising this resource and undertaking on-ground projects in the future.”
The Environmental Plantings Toolkit was shaped by insights gathered from landholder workshops run as part of the project. Consisting of six modules, the toolkit provides an overview of the carbon credit scheme, details on eligibility criteria for participation, a detailed look at the lifecycle of an environmental plantings project and more crucial information for landholders considering entering the carbon market.
The Environmental Plantings Toolkit is available here.
More information on the Country Road Climate Fund is available here.
*Carbon credits and their derivatives are financial products. Landcare Australia is CAR 1315198 of Australian Carbon Traders Pty Ltd AFSL 425512 and is authorised to provide financial services to wholesale clients
