Do trees really take carbon out of the atmosphere?

YES! That’s how they go from a seed that weighs a fraction of a gram to a tree that weighs many tonnes. See more detail here

Do I need to plant the trees myself?

If you want to you can, by all means! CarbonFarms will prepare the site and provide the trees if you want to plant them. Otherwise they will be planted on your behalf.

Does a young forest really provide habitat for biodiversity?

Absolutely! Within a year, the trees are providing cover for small animals - allowing them to travel between habitats (they are often too shy to cross bare paddocks). Livestock exclusion will immediately allow grasses to go to seed- providing food for wildlife. Insects will take up residence, which are also food for birds, spiders, marsupials and lizards. Over time as the trees grow bigger they begin to flower, shrubs establish, the soil becomes healthier and biodiversity moves in from adjacent forest and road verges. Large old trees which were previously isolated in windswept paddocks are able to provide far more valuable habitat, protected among the younger trees.

Why is getting into the country good for my health?

Exposure to natural landscapes is proven to improve peoples mental and physical health. Fresh air is incredibly good for the soul. Waking to a cacophony of birdsong is just awesome (but often quite early).

A recent study by the University of Exeter found that we need at least 2 hours a week in nature to get the benefits. Check out the article from the Yale School of Environment here.

I have solar panels and limit my driving. Do I need to offset my emissions?

Unfortunately virtually everything you do, consume, watch or use has a carbon footprint. Then there are a lot of public privileges which create significant emissions - like hospitals, infrastructure, a judiciary, a government etc. And think of the emissions you are responsible for over your lifetime - virtually everything you’ve ever bought had a carbon footprint (except your membership to CarbonFarms). It doesn’t make you a bad person, it’s just the reality of life in a wealthy country. You are a good person for even considering offsets!

Is my membership an investment?

No, its a product that benefits you and the environment. The concept allows you to re-sell your membership, but whether it is worth more, less or the same at the time you sell it is unknown.

It is also not a financial product. You will not own a share in the land. It is just a membership - kind of like joining a gym (only more fun).

Do I get a tax deduction?

Dunno. Possibly if you are a business member. Please ask your accountant.

Can I bring a dirt bike and fang around the property?

No. There will be a set of rules which will be designed to protect the environment and make sure all members can experience safe, quiet enjoyment of the property. Same goes for generators, speaker systems, fireworks etc.

Quiet and safe activities will be encouraged!

Hopefully the first rule - “members must be considerate and use common sense” - will be the only rule we ever need!

Is this a vegan, environmentalist cult?

No. All people will be welcome (including vegans!).

Is it a working farm?

There will be aspects of a productive working farm. It is planned that sheep will be used at times on the property to control fuel loads (to reduce fire risk), to provide fertiliser (poo) and to produce sustainably grown food. But generally it will be a carbon farm and not a working farm. There will be no cow milking demonstrations…

Won’t introducing livestock eliminate the carbon benefits?

No. If we employ rotational grazing and regenerative agriculture principles, the trees and livestock compliment each other. It’s called agroforestry or silvopasture, and it has been named as one of the top ten best ways to address climate change by the Drawdown project.

Will I be able to eat produce from the farm?

Hopefully we will all get to enjoy some sustainable, delicious, native pasture fed meat from the properties. But this is subject to various operational and bureaucratic considerations, and is some years away because the trees need at least 3 years to get established before any livestock can be introduced to the site. Honey is a fairly safe bet.

You’re not allowed to eat the biodiversity…

Will the site be safe for kids?

There will always be risks on a rural property, but generally yes - it will be managed with families in mind. But parental supervision will be required.

Will there be a place to swim in summer?

Subject to safety and environmental considerations, yes the plan is to provide a basic swimming/paddling area. Farm dams can be transformed into biodiversity hot spots, so the first priority will be using farm dams to benefit the environment.

Will camp fires be allowed?

Yes. Fire pits will be constructed. There will obviously be restrictions placed on when members can have fires during drier months.

Will there be indigenous involvement?

Indigenous recognition and involvement are planned to be a part of the projects. Learning about the history of properties, traditional management techniques and inviting traditional owners to contribute to the projects are all keenly anticipated. Cultural burning guided by indigenous practitioners is a management technique we are particularly keen on. Burning can be done without killing the trees and is allowed under the carbon accounting methodology. Burning is a contentious issue however, so there are likely to be bureaucratic hoops to jump through before we can start lighting up.

I like doing stuff, can I get involved beyond just tree planting?

CarbonFarms’ answer: YES!

Our insurers’ likely answer: NO!

We’ll have to wait and see how restrictive insurance is going to be. Getting your hands dirty on a property is so much fun and so rewarding. I hope everyone will have the opportunity to get involved.

If you don’t want to lift a finger, that is absolutely no problem whatsoever.

I heard carbon farming damages rural communities. Is that true?

In some areas of Australia, carbon companies buy thousands of hectares and replace traditional farming with dedicated carbon forests. Some people claim this damages communities. I honestly don’t know if mass scale carbon farming will have a positive or negative impact on rural communities over time.

CarbonFarms is not mass carbon farming and instead uses a different approach called Silvopasture, which aims to continue grazing in a sustainable form on the properties. The CarbonFarms model aims to get more people into rural areas - hopefully boosting rural communities and economies.

Can I ask a different question?

YES! contact us at info@carbonfarms.com.au or here.