Carbon Explainer video series

The Limestone Coast Landscape Board has created six Carbon Explainer videos for anyone interested in learning more about carbon and soil health.

The videos will complement the ‘Carbon Self-Assessment Tool’ and ‘Carbon Information Module’ currently being developed – watch this space!

This video provides an easy to understand explanation of the Carbon Cycle. Carbon is an essential element for all life forms on earth and the carbon cycle is nature’s way of reusing carbon atoms. In this animation you can see how carbon is in a constant state of movement as it makes its way through the hydrosphere (all the waters on the earth’s surface), atmosphere (layers of gases surrounding earth), oceansphere (earth’s oceans), geosphere (the solid earth), pedosphere (earth’s soil) and biosphere (all of earth’s ecosystems).

This video provides an easy to understand explanation of how the Limestone Coast primary production sector has the opportunity to go from a net emitter of carbon and other greenhouse gases to a net zero or net sequester of carbon by two ways – carbon sequestration and emissions reductions. Carbon sequestration for landholders is the process of removing carbon from the atmosphere and capturing it in the soil or trees. Emissions reduction can be achieved by reviewing and changing our practices on the land, for example we can reduce the frequency of practices that use fossil fuels and change our fertiliser practices to reduce the release of nitrous oxide.

This video showcases different sustainable primary production practices that local Limestone Coast primary producers have introduced into their businesses to start working with nature and not against it. These practices include using beneficial insects and organic composts, having nutrient-dense soil and producing nutrient-dense food, measuring soil carbon, and revegetating parts of the land.

“We’re not just farming our sheep and cows, we’re farming for soil, and the soil is a living, breathing, moving mass.” - Philip Giles, Mulbarton Organic Humus and Compost.

“If we get the soil right, everything else tends to come right." - Terry Buckley, Buckley and Sons Mingbool.

This video showcases how vital good soil health is for profitable and sustainable primary production. Featured primary producers explain the symbiotic relationship between plants and soil microbes and how this relates to the carbon and organic matter components of the soil. These primary producers have seen productivity gains, improved water holding capacity and improved nutrient density in the soil as they target building soil carbon.

“Our main aim at Struan Valley Pastoral is to build carbon in our soils and resilience in our property. Our farm is now the first to go green and the last to turn brown and the whole farm system works better.” - Sally Schultz, Struan Valley Pastoral.

“If you’re a farmer, it’s all about the soil.” - Terry Buckley, Buckley and Sons Mingbool.

Mitigating climate change through smart carbon land management is an opportunity for primary producers. We’ve heard from a number of primary producers across the region who are already being rewarded with better soil health and productivity whilst sequestering carbon in the soil. With net zero greenhouse gas emission ambitions for the primary production sector, now is the time to think about how your farm can achieve this.

“We can make the Limestone Coast a world leader in sustainably produced food and fibre through smart carbon management.” - Dru Reschke, Koonara Wines.

In this video, Limestone Coast Landscape Board Sustainable Primary Production Team Leader James Hall explains some key points about soil carbon: from where to find it, to why it matters, and whether there may be opportunities to increase it.

He digs up a clump of soil and shows where most of the carbon is found, and talks about the potential to build more carbon lower down in the soil profile, as well as the importance of the turnover of soil carbon in productive agricultural systems.

The Limestone Coast Landscape Board would like to acknowledge and thank our funding partner, AgriFutures Australia and the following sustainable primary producers for their significant contribution of time and expertise in the making of these videos:

• Bruce Wood – Locmaria Farms

• Dru Reschke – Koonara Wines

• Hans Loder – Penley Estate

• James Vercoe – Vercoe Trading, Western Flat

• Mike Lawson – SFM Asset Management

• Nick Baverstock – Wynns Coonawarra

• Phil Giles – Mulbarton Compost, Padthaway

• Sally Shultz – Struan Valley Pastoral

• Terry Buckley – Buckley and Sons, Mingbool