Terra Preta in the news

[Michaelangelica]

Tree Hugger on TP
A New Twist on Using Wood for Fuel : TreeHugger

Soil Color = Carbon Content : Sequestering Useful Carbon
Soil Color = Carbon Content : Sequestering Useful Carbon : TreeHugger

Is Zero-Carbon Farming Even Possible?

Is Zero-Carbon Farming Even Possible? : TreeHugger

Branson Offers $25 Million to Remove Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide : TreeHugger

Amazon Carbon Trick Comes to Light
Amazon Carbon Trick Comes to Light : TreeHugger

[Michaelangelica]

Some good links here
and a long, detailed introductory interview on biochar
More Carbon for Soils More Carbon for Crops - Carbon Negative Farming with Bio Char | Zero Emissions Climate Change Global Warming Solution

[erich]

The best part of Dr. Van Zwietan's interview;

"ten-fold reductions in nitrous oxide (N2O) soil emissions."

[Michaelangelica]

'Black gold agriculture' may revolutionize farming, curb global warming
'Black gold agriculture' may revolutionize farming, curb global warming

The researchers are about to embark on a five-year study on the effect of “black gold” on spinach, green peppers, tomatoes and other crops. They seek the long-term effects of biochar fertilization on soil carbon changes, crop productivity and its effect of the soil microorganism community.

“Through this long-term work, we will show to people that biochar fertilization will significantly change our current conventional farming concepts,” says Guo

.'Black gold agriculture' may revolutionize farming, curb global warming

Ancient Method, 'Black Gold Agriculture' May Revolutionize Farming, Curb Global Warming
Have we got five years?

Seeing the wood for the trees

* 14 January 1995

Renewable energy resources in 2005

WOOD kindled mankind's first fires. But could it also be the fuel of the future? Last month, as part of its scheme to encourage the development of renewable sources of energy, the government announced measures that it hopes will lead to wood and other biofuels being exploited on a grand scale.

The key to the plan is a return to coppicing, one of Britain's most ancient methods of managing woodlands. A well-managed coppice is a paragon of sustainable harvesting, producing large quantities of wood without destroying the woodland. In a coppice, foresters cut the young trees almost to the ground to leave a stump, or "stool", from which numerous poles sprout. After a year, six or more poles of between 2 and 4 metres will have grown up.

Land economists say that by early next century more than 5 million hectares - almost a fifth of the area of Britain - could be planted with coppice. But while researchers argue that these woodlands could help Britain to reduce its emissions of carbon dioxide, some environmentalists fear that such "industrial" coppicing may not be as green as it seems.

Coppicing has long been a distinctive feature of the British landscape.

Seeing the wood for the trees - 14 January 1995 - New Scientist

[Michaelangelica]

I am not sure how I missed this article from NSW Dept. Ag
Magic biochar: recycles, fertilises and sequesters | NSW Department of Primary Industries
A simple concise introduction to the concept of TP
Includes alink to the classic Nature article
Putting the carbon backBlack is the new green : Article : Nature

[Michaelangelica]

I think Tp is best with lots of SOM and no-tilling

Capturing Carbon A Key Benefit Of No-Till Soil Management

ScienceDaily (Apr. 27, 2005) — No-till soil management can play an important role in keeping carbon in the soil, rather than allowing it to escape into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, according to a cooperative study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Brazilian scientists at Beltsville, Md..

The soil carbon study was done at a field site where researchers had conducted a 10-year tillage experiment comparing no-till farming with cultivation by plowing. Soil microbial biomass and carbon stocks stored in the soil were measured at the end of the 10-year period. Also, emissions of methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide from the soil were monitored for an entire year.
These three are the most important "greenhouse gases" exchanged between agricultural systems and the atmosphere.

Capturing Carbon A Key Benefit Of No-Till Soil Management
MORE at
Read more about this research in the April issue of Agricultural Research magazine.
Capturing Carbon a Key Benefit of No-Till Soil Management / April 13, 2005 / News from the USDA Agricultural Research Service
Does anyone have all the sums?

[Michaelangelica]

Monday bummer blogging | Gristmill: The environmental news blog | Grist
An interesting discussion of the Swedish paper I just posted in "research".
Read that first before going to this blog

[Michaelangelica]

Carbon emissions: Catch them if you can - CNN.com

Here is a snippet from the larger story...

And then there is biochar -- the gas and charcoal that arises from a process of burning any form of biomass with the absence of oxygen, called pyrolysis.

Charcoal is one of the most stable forms of carbon known to man. It is also an excellent soil fertilizer.

Biochar in its charcoal form is seen by many, including Flannery, as one of the single most important carbon sequesters in the world -- perhaps even better than reforestation.

Put simply, reforested trees can be cut down, but once charcoal is plowed in the soil, it's there to stay for up to a thousand years.

[Michaelangelica]

Australian of the Year 2007, Tim Flannery talks bio char and why we need to move into the renewable age
Wed, 2008-03-19 07:58 — admin

Beyond Zero talks with Tim Flannery about Terra Preta (bio char), his experience as 'Australian of the Year' and the current political climate.

Listen to podcast Scott Bilby: This morning on Beyond Zero we will be interviewing Dr Tim Flannery. Flannery has made contributions of international significance to the fields of

Australian of the Year 2007, Tim Flannery talks bio char and why we need to move into the renewable age | Zero Emissions Climate Change Global Warming Solution

[erich]

A CNN report on Biochar (Best Energies, NSW DPI, Robert Quirk/ Sugar) has
just gone live. Please see link below

Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com

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biochar.cnn