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NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Soil carbon sequestration

Soil carbon sequestration results from land management practices aiming to increase the soil organic carbon content, resulting in a net removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.

In NSW agricultural land considerable potential exists for soil organic carbon sequestration, for example in pasture land in the higher rainfall regions (>450 mm), for both as permanent pastures or as ley pasture in the cropping zone. Considerable increases can be achieved by pasture improvement and improved management practices.

Soil organic carbon levels in ecosystems are controlled by a range of factors, namely climate, soil, vegetation and time and can reach an equilibrium level under specific environmental conditions (environmental equilibrium). Over time, change in the storage of soil organic carbon is controlled by the balance between carbon inputs and losses (removal through mineralisation to carbon dioxide, and erosion). The difference in soil organic carbon between the environmental equilibrium levels and the current depleted level is the soil organic carbon sequestration potential, that is, the potential carbon sink, because theoretically this quantity can be restored to the soil.




More information on soil carbon sequestration potential

  • Wang, B., Gray, J.M., Water, C.M., Anwar, M.R., Orgill, S.E., Cowie,  A.L., Feng, P., Liu, D.L. (2022). Modelling and mapping soil organic carbon stocks under future climate change in south-eastern Australia. Geoderma, 405 115442, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115442
  • Wang, B., Waters,C., Anwar, M.R., Cowie, A., Liu, D.L., Summers, D., Paul, K., Feng, P. (2021). Future climate impacts on forest growth and implications for carbon sequestration through reforestation in southeast Australia. Journal of Environmental Management 302: 113964,  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113964
  • Badgery, W., Murphy, B., Cowie, A., Orgill,S., Rawson, A, Simmons, A., and Crean, J. (2020). Soil carbon market-based instrument pilot – the sequestration of soil organic carbon for the purpose of obtaining carbon credits. Soil Research, 59(1), pp.12-23; https://doi.org/10.1071/SR19331
  • Badgery, W.B., Mwendwa, J.M., Anwar, M.R., Simmons, A.T., Broadfoot, K.M., Rohan, M., Singh, B.P. (2020). Unexpected increases in soil carbon eventually fell in low rainfall farming systems. Journal of Environmental Management, 261, 110192; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110192
  • Chappell, A., Webb, N.P., Leys, J.F., Waters, C.M., Orgill, S.E., and Eyres, M.J. (2019). Minimising soil organic carbon erosion by wind is critical for land degradation neutrality. Environmental Science and Policy, 93: 43-52, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2018.12.020
  • Orgill S.E., Waters C.M., Melville G., Alemseged Y. and Smith W. (2017). Sensitivity of soil organic carbon to grazing management in the semi-arid rangelands of south-eastern Australia. The Rangeland Journal 39:157-167, https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ16020
  • Waters C.M., Orgill S.E., Melville G.J., Toole I.D., and Smith W. (2016). Management of grazing intensity in the semi-arid rangelands of southern Australia: Effects on soil and biodiversity. Land Degradation and Development, https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2602
  • Waters C.M., Melville G.M., Orgill S., Alemseged Y. and Smith W. (2015). The relationship between soil organic carbon and soil surface characteristics in the semi-arid rangelands of southern Australia. The Rangeland Journal 37: 297-307.


Case Studies

Enabling primary producers to participate in carbon markets may have multiple benefits, for farmers and to NSW. Carbon farming can provide additional farm income, greater farm enterprise resilience, create regional jobs and economic opportunities, and increase biodiversity delivering multiple co-benefits to regional NSW. Evaluating opportunities for farmers to participate in on-farm climate change abatement activities, maintain or increase production and improve the resource base is a major focus of the “Accessing Carbon Markets” project under the NSW DPI Climate Change Research Strategy.

Click on the links below to read about on-farm case studies that aimed to identify cost effective abatement opportunities with multiple benefits including production and environmental.

“Bokhara Plains” case study
Bokhara Plains is a grazing property located in north-western NSW. The case study assessed the management strategy that gave the highest returns when selling credits generated by sequestering SOC were included.

"Curricabark" case study
Curricabark is a grazing property in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range east of Taree. The case study optimised economic returns for the enterprise considering options for revegetation of hill country and pasture improvement.