Executive Director Brendon Grylls recently sat down with Mark Pownall to discuss how we’re challenging traditional carbon abatement practices and creating carbon credits that deliver more value. Published in the September issue of the Business News Magazine, the article highlights how we’re targeting low-value land with innovative land management initiatives and establishing exemplar Indigenous partnerships to maximise outcomes and empower local communities.
Please see a preview of the article as below –
Salubris aiming for Indigenous outcome
Managing the land could challenge tree planting when it comes to carbon credits.
Brendon Grylls may have moved on from politics to commercial life, but he remains firmly involved in regional development.
Most recently, that involves a business that wants to help Indigenous groups earn income from managing their own land.
The former Nationals WA leader, who was the architect of the Royalties for Regions scheme and responsible for its implementation as regional development and lands minister more than a decade ago, has taken a leadership role with carbon credit group Salubris, backed by investment adviser Argonaut.
Salubris already owns the 200,000 hectare Gindalbie station in the Goldfields. Here, it earns carbon credits through increasingly common techniques such as destocking, as well as feral animal and weed suppression, allowing the native flora to recover in what is referred to as human-induced regeneration.
In July of 2023, we acquired Gindalbie Station – a low-intervention, nature-based carbon abatement project. At the time, the project was 5 years old and generating 45,000 to 55,000 ACCUs per annum. With our support, Gindalbie is expected to generate 1.2 million ACCUs over its lifetime. In the past year, we have achieved issuance of the project’s first block of ACCUs in May circa 80,000 credits. Fulfillment of a quarter of these credits in an early release sale alone is an exciting indicator of growing demand. The issuance was a great achievement that acknowledged the dedication of our team to successfully transition the project from the Tonkin family. Over the past 12 months we have implemented a number of human-induced regeneration strategies to restore biodiversity, such as reducing cattle numbers, while working with project partners to complete the initial stratification report.
Since then, significant winter rainfall in Kalgoorlie and the Goldfields has proven monumental for the project, with above average rainfall predicted to continue for the year. This greatly benefits the countryside and is accelerating growth at Gindalbie Station. With our human-induced regeneration strategies in place, we can maximise the growth potential this rainfall has introduced and realise the positive outcomes of the management changes made to date.
Watch the video below to hear from Gindalbie Station Manager, Tony Crook and Salubris CEO and Executive Director, Peter Balsarini on the challenges the project has faced, and where management focus lies as we embark on our next phase of growth at Gindalbie Station.
Watch now:
We’re proud to have formalised Gindalbie Station as a best-in-class human-induced regeneration (HIR) project while navigating the dynamic environment of carbon abatement. Subscribe to our mailing list to be the first to hear project updates and company announcements.
Salubris appoints Emeritus Professor Colleen Hayward AM as an Independent Non-Executive Director
Professor Colleen Hayward is a respected senior Noongar woman with extensive experience in developing programs to support and empower Aboriginal people in Western Australia. Colleen has a strong connection to Salubris’ mission to ensure positive outcomes for Traditional Owners and local communities through the development of Nature based projects in conjunction with Traditional Owners.
Through her career, Colleen has provided significant input to policies and programs on a wide range of issues at a community, state, and national level. Spanning education, employment, law, and justice, she has held many senior positions over the last 35 years. Colleen has garnered extensive recognition for her efforts, including the 2008 National NAIDOC Aboriginal Person of the Year Award and the 2006 Premier of Western Australia’s (WA) prestigious Multicultural Ambassador’s Award.
Colleen stated, “I’m delighted to join the board at Salubris to help further enhance the Company’s strategy and to strengthen effective partnerships with Traditional Owner groups that deliver social and environmental benefits. Importantly, the Salubris approach to partnership ensures that the land secured in partnership with Indigenous Groups is backed by an economically sustainable operational model that supports enduring management of the land and environment. It will benefit local communities now and for generations to come.”
In addition to Colleen’s role as an independent non-executive director, she will Chair the Salubris’ Indigenous Advisory Committee. Other appointees to this Committee will be made during August and September.
“We are delighted to welcome Colleen to the Board. She brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and insight that will ensure we achieve our vision and purpose for the benefit of partners, shareholders, and people. She will play a crucial role in helping guide Salubris through the Company’s next growth phase. Already, Colleen is adding value with her relationships and appreciation of the regeneration and rehabilitation of affected lands” commented Salubris Chairman Eddie Rigg.
First of its kind partnership to generate carbon credits and secure land ownership for Traditional Owners
Salubris, a Perth-based environmental company, has partnered with the Marlinyu Ghoorlie (“MG”) peoples of the Goldfields region of Western Australia in an exclusive carbon and biodiversity agreement that seeks to create long term generational wealth for the Traditional Owners.
Highlights
Exclusive carbon and biodiversity partnership
MG has a native title claim of over 9 million hectares in the Goldfields region of WA
Carbon storage and biodiversity value of the Great Western Woodlands will be of national significance
Expected to deliver significant pricing premiums for carbon credits generated
Creating large tracts of land 100% owned by MG; backed by an economically sustainable operational model
Salubris and MG will develop carbon credit generating projects on unallocated crown land and ex-pastoral leases within the MG claim area. MG’s native title claim extends over 9 million hectares of land and they are working towards a successful determination of native title in the next couple of years.
The partnership will utilise the newly established diversification lease framework developed by the Western Australian Government – and importantly these new leases will be applied for and held in the name of the MG people, creating large tracts of land 100% owned by MG.
It is a genuine partnership, with economic reward to be split 50/50. Salubris will be responsible for 100% of the financial and technical aspects of the projects while MG will provide experience, environmental knowledge, human resources and cultural authority.
“Salubris has come to us with a new model of partnership that values our native title rights. Returning land to MG people is a key priority of our board and membership,” says Mark Champion, spokesperson for the MG applicant group.
To hear more about the partnership, in the words of the MG peoples:
Under the exclusive agreement, MG and Salubris will develop a pipeline of new carbon abatement and environmental projects on MG traditional lands. The MG claim area encompasses part of the highly biodiverse and environmentally significant Great Western Woodlands – the world’s largest intact Mediterranean climate (low rainfall) woodland which has been heavily impacted in recent times by seasonal fires which has caused significant damage to biodiversity and emitted substantial amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere.
The projects will include the minimisation and management of wildfire, with a focus on the protection of old growth eucalypt forest, the regeneration of former pastoral land through the management of wild cattle and other feral animals, and the maximising biodiversity and caring for country through the establishment of a MG ranger and land management program.
The potential size and scale of the fire management project to protect and enhance the carbon store and biodiversity value of the Great Western Woodlands will be of national significance. Methodologies currently under development by the Australian Clean Energy Regulator are likely to include fire suppression as a methodology for carbon credit generation.
Further strengthening the partnership is the mutual exchange of knowledge about caring for the environment and the MG peoples’ traditional land management experience and techniques will be supported by best practice in environmental science. There is a deep respect for the expertise each partner brings to the project.
Mark Champion notes, “Our people are excited to engage with, and understand more deeply, the carbon and biodiversity opportunities on MG country.”
Brendon Grylls, Director of Salubris, adds, “We are extremely proud to be partnering with the MG in delivering projects that benefit the environment and have substantial social benefits for their community. Importantly, the MG-Salubris partnership ensures that the land secured by MG is backed by an economically sustainable operational model that supports enduring management of the land and environment. It will benefit local communities now and for generations to come.”
These projects are expected to deliver significant pricing premiums for the carbon credits generated. Carbon markets award substantial premiums for ethically generated Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) with added social impact through the co-benefits for Traditional Owners.
The partnership is also set to benefit from the Federal Government’s new Nature Positive legislation, which seeks to establish a market for the monetisation of environmental projects focused on biodiversity benefits.
About Salubris
Salubris is an unlisted public company on track to become one of Australia’s largest independent carbon and environmental credit generators.
Salubris leadership in decarbonisation is driven by its model to originate, acquire and/or develop projects that generate environmental credits principally from nature-enabled carbon abatement. Salubris is approaching decarbonisation by being innovative and risk tolerant; working collaboratively with all stakeholders especially indigenous groups; with the objective of leaving a substantially enhanced environment and social footprint. If necessary, Salubris will disrupt to achieve better outcomes for stakeholders.
Salubris is actively working with Traditional Owner Groups across Western Australia to develop similar partnerships to what it has with Marlinyu Ghoorlie that deliver social and environmental value, while helping Australia reduce its carbon emissions.
Salubris is backed Argonaut and a number of leading executives in the resources,legal and funds management industries.
About Carbon Abatement
Carbon abatement refers to activities that reduce or offset the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, which can be achieved through various methods with Salubris targeting HIR (excluding livestock from land, limiting grazing, managing plant growth, ceasing chemical use etc.) and Blue Carbon (the carbon captured and stored inside coastal ecosystems). Carbon Abatement is a vital part of any strategy aimed at mitigating climate change, given the significant role of human-induced carbon emissions in global warming. Not only does carbon abatement benefit the environment by reducing the impact of climate change, but it also offers potential economic advantages through the generation and trade of carbon credits in regulated markets.
Hear more about our partnership across the Western Woodlands project in the words of Marlinyu Ghoorlie Elder, Brian Champion, Marlinyu Ghoorlie representative, Daryl Trott and Salubris Executive Director, Brendon Grylls.
Hear the story behind our joint venture – the history of the land and the impact we hope to achieve, in the words of Marlinyu Ghoorlie Elders, Brian Champion and Ricky.
