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Sequestering Carbon in Soils in

Grazing Systems

Dr Thakur Bhattarai

Research Fellow, CQUniversity Australia

Email: t.bhattarai@cqu.edu.au:

Phone: 07 49309171, M: 0413600088

Mr Mick Alexander

Director, Grazing BestPrac, CQ Australia

Email: mick@grazingbestprac.com.au

Phone: 0749383919, M: 0438395255

Presentation outline

• Methodology introduction

• Process

• Results

• Bulk density, soil C

• Costs of C - Base measurement

• Issues and challenges

2

Background

• Drrrr Thakkkurr ??? I am a farmer.

• What is C Credit – tree…soil????

• Can you help me out???

• What about $ ????

• My grazing business was

in loss for so many years

Do you think this is the options?????3

Let’s start what is C and Credits???

• Grazing systems

• Measurement-based

Methodology determination 2014

• one or more

activities

allowed

• At least one

activity must

be new

• Must increase

biomass

inputs or

reduce soil

organic matter

losses

The process: how approved method works?

How to participate?

• Choose appropriate methodology determination

• Follow the guidelines and tools

• Check the Clean Energy Regulator website

7

Mapping and sampling design

• Property boundary

• Carbon estimation areas (CEAs)

• Homogenous strata

• Number of sampling intensity

• Soil profile (depth) – min 30 cm

• Locating sampling point for coring

8

Process soil C measurement

Stratification - CEAs

9

• Land use types/diversity• Soil types• Management systems• History

Risk and challenges

10

Bindaree farm boundary 1400 ha

11

12

13

Soil Sample Collection, Preparation and Analysis

• Min 30cm, sampling to

greater depth allowed

• Soil Sampling and

Analysis Method and

Guidelines

‒ Minimum standards

‒ Additional guidance

‒ Skills sets for technicians

‒ Can be updated as new

sampling techniques are

developed

Address the health and safetyissues ……….• Filling the risk

assessment form

• Make required equipment and safety gears ready

• Training/induction for field assistance and lab personnel

Navigating and soil coring

16

Composites

17

Contd.

18

Soil processing and sample preparation

19

Contd.

20

LECO CNS Analyser for measuring C

21

Results

• Density increase as depth increases

• Soil carbon decreases in deeper depths 0.48

0.34

0.20

0.94

0.43

0.28

0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

0-30 30-60 60-100

Pe

rce

nta

ge o

f SO

C

Depth (cm)

Percentage of SOC

Sand Ridge Flood Plain

1.50

1.90 1.96

1.351.55

1.71

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

0-30 30-60 60-100

Soil

bu

lk d

ensi

ty (

g/cm

3)

Depths (cm)

Bulk density in different soil profiles

Sand Ridge Flood Plain

Costs of C in the literature

SN Author/institution and year ProjectsProject scale or costs

typesCost per unit

1 (Wunder 2007) Pimampiro PES watershed level US$ 69 per ha

2 (Wunder 2007)Pimampiro PES project set up and running cost

watershed level & Set up & Running costs US$ 17 & US$ 6 Per ha/year

respectively

3(van Kooten, Laaksonen-Craig & Wang 2007; van Kooten & Sohngen 2007)

Meta-analysis of 58 forest carbon projects

- US$ 12.71 – 70.99 per tCO2

4Stern; 2007 cited in Bhaskar and Skutsch, 2010

Cost for reducing deforestation of world’s forests

Total costsUS$ 2/ha to stop deforestation of 65% in world forests

5 (Antinori & Sathaye 2007) Forestry and renewable energy projects Transaction cost Per tCO2 US$ 0.03 – 4.46

6 Nepstad et al; 2007Implementation cost and opportunity cost

Implementation and opportunity costs

Per tCO2 US$ 0.58 and 1.49 respectively

7 (Olsen & Bishop 2009)Cattle ranching and soybean production in Brazil

Opportunity cost Per tCO2e US$ 2 and US$ 2-5-3.4

8 (Olsen & Bishop 2009)Project for reducing deforestation by 94% in Brazil

Opportunity and implementation

Per tCO2e US$ 1.49 and 0.76 respectively

9 (Olsen & Bishop 2009)Conversion of forest into palm oil in Sumatra

Opportunity cost Per tCO2e US$ 19.6

10 (Olsen & Bishop 2009) Small scale farmer project Opportunity cost Per tCO2e US$ 0.49

11 (Karky & Skutsch 2010) Forest carbon projectCarbon measurement cost

Per ha US$ 3 and 2 (first year and second year onwards respectively)

Costs of C in different levels-case study from Nepal

Cost categories

Average fixed and varible costs for three years in Watershed Level carbon project

Average fixed and variable cost for three years in CFUG level carbon project

1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr

Fixed Variable Fixed Variable Fixed Variable FixedVariab

leFixed

Variable

Fixed Variable

Set up cost/establishment cost

1.53 0.31 1.5 0.05 1.24 0.05 1.87 2.79 1.78 0.91 1.74 0.86

Carbon measurement/monitoring cost

2.16 2.65 0.38 0.69 0.38 0.79 4.89 0 2.17 0.13 1.93 0.12

Implementation cost 0 3.54 0 2.5 0 2.18 1.1 7.22 0.24 5.76 0.23 4.81

Transaction cost 1.7 0.06 0.4 0.73 1.16 0 2.68 0 1.65 0 1.45 0

Opportunity cost 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total fixed and variable cost 5.39 6.56 2.28 3.97 2.78 3.02 10.5 10.01 5.84 6.8 5.35 5.79

Percentage of Fixed and Variable Cost (%)

45.1 54.90 36.5 63.52 47.93 52.07 51.3 48.71 46.2 53.8 48 51.98

Total cost $11.95 &6.25 $5.8 $20.55 $12.64 $11.14

Cost of carbon

• Infrastructure development/improvement

• Field measurement/testing

• Auditing

• Technical/expert cost

• Opportunity cost

• Other: taxation or if any obligation costs

25

Measurement costs

• Mapping: – Project boundary,

stratification (CEAs with equal strata)

– Sampling locations

• Soil coring: soil rig, GPS, travel, labour costs

• Soil processing

• Lab analysis

Per ha costs of C measurement in three different scenarios in 200 ha CEA

Scenarios 0-30 cm

0-60cm

0-100 cm

10 strata and 4 composites

$16 $20 $24

6 strata and 4 composites

$12 $15 $17.5

3 strata and 3 composites

$8 $11 $13

Issues

• Measurement

– Too technical and complicated

• Expensive, time taking and requires special laboratories and equipment.

• Vary with size of property

• Needs better knowledge while selecting CEAs/ boundary

• Need to improve methods

– May be NIR/MIR/Remote Sensing

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Many thanks for your attention&

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welcome for questions please!!!