Are we finally cracking the code on Soil Organic Carbon

Webinar Replay | Atlas Carbon

How much soil carbon can you realistically build in an Australian grazing system?

There’s plenty of noise in the market. Big claims. Big numbers. Big promises.

In this webinar, Dr Susan Orgill and Dr Elaine Mitchell step back from the noise and walk through what peer-reviewed research actually tells us about Soil Organic Carbon and grazing management in Australia.

If you’re considering a soil carbon project, already involved in one, or simply want clearer evidence around what works, this session is worth your time.

Watch the Webinar Replay

What You’ll Take Away

This conversation connects foundational soil science with real-world grazing systems.

Susan outlines the fundamentals we all agree on. Climate and soil type set the envelope. Management determines what happens within it. Soil organic matter drives water holding capacity, nutrient cycling and productivity. Surface carbon fluctuates. Deeper carbon is generally more stable.

Elaine then shares results from a 22-year time-controlled grazing study in Queensland. On average, soil carbon increased by around 0.67 tonnes per hectare per year under improved grazing management. Not inflated projections. Measured outcomes.

One of the most important insights is that soil carbon change is not linear. Much of the uplift from a meaningful management shift often occurs in the first five to ten years. After that, systems tend to level out unless further changes are made.

The research also explored ground cover and resilience. During dry periods, improved grazing systems were better at holding ground cover above critical thresholds. That’s not just a carbon story. It’s a productivity and risk management story.

And importantly, the session addresses the question many producers are quietly asking: are some sequestration claims in the market realistic? The discussion is clear. Soil carbon projects need conservative modelling and defensible assumptions. The biology sets limits.

What This Means for Soil Carbon Projects in Australia

Soil carbon is not built by spreadsheets or satellites.

It is built by farmers, plants and livestock working in well-managed systems.

Measurement and reporting matter. But management drives outcomes.

If you’re exploring a soil carbon project in Australia, the real question isn’t “How many credits can I generate?”

It’s “What management change improves productivity and resilience on my land, and what carbon opportunity may follow from that?”

At Atlas Carbon, we don’t take on every project. We assess whether the numbers make biological and financial sense under conservative assumptions. If they don’t, we’ll say so.

Want Clarity on Your Property?

If you’d like to understand whether a soil carbon project could stack up on your farm, start with a Cost–Benefit Assessment.

We look at rainfall zone, soil type, current management and likely sequestration rates based on real research, not best-case projections.

It costs nothing to understand your potential.