The carbon market has been in the news recently, with prominent scientists scrutinising the effectiveness of one of the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme’s methods – Human Induced Regeneration or ‘HIR’.
The team at CFF welcomes this independent analysis of the integrity of the method, which expired in October 2023 but continues to issue credits to existing projects. We support the ongoing improvement of the Scheme as the market matures, and back the recommendations of the Chubb Review to improve its transparency and governance.
CFF was established to disrupt the market norm. We want to see the carbon market doing what it was designed to do – reducing Australia’s emissions and limiting the impacts of climate change. Here in the South West of Western Australia where CFF’s head office is based, we’ve seen 10 months of the lowest rainfall on record and the warmest summer on record. We’re experiencing climate change in real-time, and we’re committed to doing our part to secure a healthy future for our kids and grandkids.
In fact, our CEO Norman Pater signed an open letter in the Australian Financial Review in February calling on the Albanese Government to do more to ensure that absolute fossil fuel emissions are reduced, and that carbon offsets are not to be used as a ‘ticket to pollute’.
CFF’s preferred carbon farming methods
From the get-go, CFF chose to focus on a handful of high-quality nature-based ACCU Scheme methods to support landowners across Australia. Our current work is centred around tree-planting projects registered with the ‘Reforestation by Environmental and Mallee Plantings FullCAM’ method and the ‘Plantation Forestry’ method.
Because we only work with these methods, we’ve developed deep expertise on their legislative and regulatory frameworks, as well as how best to implement them on ground to give our clients the best outcomes.
We’re confident in their integrity and so is the market.
According to Clima’s analysis, Environmental Planting carbon credits are consistently valued more highly than carbon credits from other methods. Buyers know that tree planting is a proven way to sequester carbon and that the credits earned by these projects are high-quality with a range of added co-benefits.
As well as sequestering carbon, planting trees provides shelter and food for native wildlife, helps restore local water cycles and waterway health, builds soil health, and reduces air pollution. Trees also have a range of functional benefits on farm, including providing shade for livestock, sheltering crops from the wind, controlling erosion and stabilising soil. They’re also great for humans, with research showing that being able to see trees helps hospital patients heal more quickly and just being around trees helps to reduce stress!
How do we ensure that carbon has been sequestered by our projects?
At the outset of each project, the amount of carbon that the project is estimated to sequester is modelled using the FullCAM tool, produced by CSIRO. You can find out more about how FullCAM works here.
Before credits are issued, the project proponent must submit an ‘offset report’, which includes:
- Updated FullCAM modelling based on what has actually happened on ground
- Inspection records and photographs
- Tree survival counts
- A qualified forester assessment of the potential for forest cover to be reached and
- A full project report outlining progress.
At least six offset reports are required over the life of the project to ensure everything is on track.
Alongside these reports, three audits are undertaken throughout the project by independent registered experts to ensure that the requirements of the method are being met.
Why work with us?
Integrity and transparency are central to everything we do. Over the last four years we’ve built a reputation as a service provider of choice for landholders with a genuine interest in addressing climate change and biodiversity loss.
We want to see trees in the ground, so we keep our service fees fair to make carbon farming as accessible as possible. We don’t keep any of your credits and we won’t lock you into a long-term contract.
You decide how you work with us – we’re here to support as much or as little as you choose.
Ready to find out more?
Explore our range of educational resources in our Carbon Farming Education Hub where we frequently publish educational articles, webinars, and guidebooks.
When you’re ready to explore the feasibility of undertaking a carbon project on your property, email us at hello@carbonfarming.org.au or give us a bell at (08) 6835 1140 to be connected with one of our project facilitators.
