Aggregation for impact

A collaboration between Southern Queensland Landscapes, Traprock Group and Regen Farmers Mutual has created a program to enable farmers to realise a financial return through restoring an endangered ecosystem.

The Traprock landscape in the Southern Queensland Landscapes (SQL) NRM region has been extensively cleared. Less than 5 per cent of the critically endangered box gum grassy woodland remains in good condition and is in small and isolated patches through the region. The  woodland is mostly on small landholdings throughout the area that individually don’t offer an economic scale for carbon farming or nature investments.

Regen Farmers Mutual, a farmer member-owned company, approached the Traprock grower group the idea of multiple farmers collectivising to tap into carbon and biodiversity markets and protect and restore the box-gum woodland – The Traprock Landscape Impact Project was born.

The project has also been funded by the Land Restoration Fund (LRF) to pilot the aggregation approach, and will create carbon credits under the Avoided Clearing of Natural Regrowth ACCU Method. The project team has recruited seven farmers with the project covering an area of more than 2,000 ha so far.

Southern Queensland Landscapes has worked closely with Traprock Group and Regen Farmers Mutual under an MOU to develop the project- providing support to engage with Traprock farmers, as well as access to their  extensive mapping and data resources.

Andrew McCartney from SQL says it’s been a good opportunity for them to get a sense of possible roles in emerging market areas, particularly one of independent assessment through their role as an independent not-for-profit.

“We can make that independent third party objective assessment. We’re evidence based, science based, so we think there could be a role for us to play in the future.” he said.

Regen Farmers Mutual worked with Traprock farmers to co-design a process to work out environmental restoration that could provide an economic return.

The process involved:

• Recruiting pilot farmers and understanding their farms.
• Field visits to see how the best functioning landscapes were operating and what farmers could do to improve their land for ecological function.
• Starting conversations between farmers and investors to see what investors need and what farmers can offer.
• Creating pathways for more farmers to join.

Andrew McCartney, Southern Queensland Landscapes

Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.sqlandscapes.org.au/