A DUNALLEY vineyard and farm has been accredited as carbon negative, one of the latest in Tasmanian rural businesses to go the way of emission reduction.
Bangor Vineyard, owned and operated by Matt and Vanessa Dunbabin, has undergone a rigorous assessment by three of the Australia’s leading carbon accounting groups to get the recognition.
Across a six-month period of assessment, the farm was measured to store 1500 tonnes more carbon that it emits, the equivalent of 100 households. The 5000ha of native forest on the property lock away around 3500 tonnes of CO2 per year, offsetting the 2000 tonnes of CO2 emitted by the farming and tourism operations on the property.
“When visitors come to enjoy our wine and dine at our restaurant, not only are they supporting a family-owned vineyard but are looking after our farm and the planet,” explains owner Matt Dunbabin.
The Dunbabins are committed to reducing emissions even further, including the recent installation of solar panels on Bangor’s cellar door roof, recycling all suitable waste, and decreasing emissions from livestock through faster animal growth rates. They also have protected more than 2000ha of native forest and grasslands as permanent conservation reserves. These are home to threatened species and protected plants, including Tasmanian devils, wombats, swift parrots and wedge tailed eagles.
The couple is also dedicated to soil health, understanding that there is as much carbon stored below ground as there is above it. “Conservation has always been an important principle of everything we do at Bangor,” said Vanessa. “It’s fantastic to demonstrate that as well as looking after our wildlife and plants, we are reducing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere by adding so much carbon into the long-term storage.”