[scalbers]

Here's a Biopact article mentioning James Hansen's support of the biochar concept...

Bioenergy pact between Europe and Africa

[Michaelangelica]

A great article
I especially liked this

[Michaelangelica]

Video
Deep Green Blog Archive Biochar - Don Slater

Biochar - Don Slater

Don Slater explains the benefits of Biochar.
The existence of an anthropogenic and carbon (C) enriched dark soil in different parts of the world and especially in Amazonia (Amazonian Dark Earths (ADE) or Terra Preta de Índio) proves that the predominant Ferralsols and Acrisols can be transformed into fertile soils. Charcoal formation and deposition in soils seems to be a promising option to transfer an easily decomposable biomass into refractory soil organic matter (SOM) pools. The production of charcoal for soil amelioration purposes (slash and char) out of the aboveground biomass (secondary forest and crop residues) instead of converting it to carbon dioxide (CO2) through burning (slash and burn) could establish a C sink and could be an important step towards sustainability and SOM conservation in tropical agriculture.
www.biochar.org

[Michaelangelica]

A great article via Erich
Geotimes - July 2008 - Trends and Innovations


Christoph Steiner, a soil scientist at the University of Georgia, stands in the midst of a field of pepper plants in Brazil. These plants are being grown in terra preta — soil enriched hundreds of year ago with charcoal. The ordinary Amazonian soils do not support such productive agriculture.

[Michaelangelica]

Terra Preta
By Kira
“Terra Preta“, or “dark earth”, is an Amazonian Indian technology which can vastly improve soil fertility and pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, potentially keeping it out for thousands of years. Biomass - plant and animal waste .
. .
Terra Preta

“Terra Preta”, or “dark earth”, is an Amazonian Indian technology which can vastly improve soil fertility and pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, potentially keeping it out for thousands of years. Biomass - plant and animal waste such as manure, waste wood, and crop leftovers - can be turned into charcoal (or “biochar”) and then buried in agricultural soil, making rich black earth that plants grow very, very well in. Charcoal is extremely porous, and provides a perfect environment for beneficial soil microorganisms that help plants grow. It also holds water, and can greatly help crops to survive drought conditions.
..
Terra Preta | Seeking the World's Soul
Seeking the World's Soul - Seeking the World's Soul

[Michaelangelica]

Terra Preta

By Kira • July 11, 2008

“Terra Preta“, or “dark earth”, is an Amazonian Indian technology which can vastly improve soil fertility and pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, potentially keeping it out for thousands of years. Biomass - plant and animal waste such as manure, waste wood, and crop leftovers - can be turned into charcoal (or “biochar”) and then buried in agricultural soil, making rich black earth that plants grow very, very well in. Charcoal is extremely porous, and provides a perfect environment for beneficial soil microorganisms that help plants grow. It also holds water, and can greatly help crops to survive drought conditions.

Biochar can be used to pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and potentially reverse global warming (if it were used on a wide enough scale).

Terra Preta | Seeking the World's Soul

[greenkira]

Hi, thanks for reposting the blurb from my site, kirahagen.com! I wrote it as a basic summary of terra preta information for a family member who works in tropical agroforestry and land management. Haven't had a chance to try any of it out at home yet, so if there are errors in the article please point them out.

Thanks again,
Kira Hagen

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by greenkira

Hi, thanks for reposting the blurb from my site, kirahagen.com! I wrote it as a basic summary of terra preta information for a family member who works in tropical agroforestry and land management. Haven't had a chance to try any of it out at home yet, so if there are errors in the article please point them out.

Thanks again,
Kira Hagen

Sorry Kira, I tried very hard to find a mistake in your article but couldn't
Perhaps -a quibble_ 2,000 years seems a bit long. Maybe 1,000 years might be closer to the mark- but who knows?

[Michaelangelica]

Biochar Farming: The Next Big Thing

Biochar farming isn't a new concept. Indian farmers were the first to use it, and they referred to it as terra preta del Indio, which meant "Indian dark earth." They used charcoal and fish bones to fertilize the soil, and it created the perfect environment for growing crops.
The amounts of charcoal and fish bones as well as the procedure for this farming are not recorded, but biochar, a type of charcoal, has been looked at as providing similar benefits that the Indian farmers experienced.

In the event that farmers figure out how to properly use biochar to its fullest advantage, food shortages and global warming could be a worry of the past.
It's predicted that biochar farming can produce higher crop yields and decrease the use of chemical fertilizers.
In addition, biochar can store carbon for hundreds or maybe even thousands of years. So if left over crops are turned into charcoal, they can store the carbon longer and reduce the amount of carbon going into the atmosphere. The gases that are produced from charring the plants can be turned into carbon-negative bio-oil, which could be used to power a car.

According to Johannes Lehmann's research at Cornell University, biochar makes soil absorb better and achieve stability, which makes the soil better prepared to deal with erosion, weather changes and water contamination.

However, as with any solution, there are always drawbacks.
For example, overproducing charcoal can cause an increase amount of contamination into the environment.
Also there is not a market for carbon yet, and there isn't a monetary credit provided to farmers who use biochar.
In fact, Dynamotive, an energy company located in Vancouver, has been handing out biochar to any farmers who will try it.

Biochar may be dynamic enough to lessen some of the world's problems, but further research is necessary to examine its advantages and disadvantages.
But it's difficult to do this without knowing how to effectively incorporate biochar into our current farming practices.
It might have worked hundreds of years ago, but that doesn't mean it's the answer to the issues our world faces today.

For example, overproducing charcoal can cause an increase amount of contamination into the environment.Really?

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

For example, overproducing charcoal can cause an increase amount of contamination into the environment.[/i]Really?

It's a rather vague statement. Who knows what they meant...