More Carbon Farming in Australia

With the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) underway and a national carbon market launching in July, reforestation and other carbon farming projects are gaining momentum in Australia. The country's largest commercial reforestation firm, CO2 Australia, is reporting a 681% increase in the number of landholders exploring opportunities to generate carbon credits using carbon sinks. CO2 Australia manages more than 22,000 hectares of reforestated land, and specializes in mallee tree plantings, which recover quickly from fires and thus help ensure permanent carbon sequestration.

Meanwhile, the federal government is preparing an Indigenous Carbon Farming Fund, also scheduled to begin operations in July. The 5-year, AUD$22.3 million ($23.8 million) project aims to support R&D, capacity building, and market entry activities for Aboriginal communities looking to benefit from reforestation and other land management schemes under the CFI. A series of introductory seminars called "Aboriginal Carbon Farming - Fixing Our Country" is currently being held in communities across South Australia.