SFF Project Summary
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Last updated: 21 January 2010
Report on Biochar Conference Newcastle, 8-10 September 2008 [213K PDF]
Project description
The project will develop an information network to share knowledge on the application of biochar to New Zealand soil as an opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The issue/opportunity
The oportunity is to establish a New Zealand Biochar Newtork to share knowledge from New Zealand and international research on the application of biochar to soil, as a means to store carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The objectives of the project are to:
- Transfer knowledge on NZ biochar research and technology developments and relevant international research to NZ stakeholders with a focus on the application of biochar to reduce GHG emissions.
- Provide a mechanism to discuss biochar issues and stakeholder needs with regard to the operational application of biochar.
The context/background
NZ has a goal to be carbon neutral by 2020, but currently the country's greenhouse gas (GHG) budget is becoming increasingly in the red primarily due to increases in agricultural emissions. Planting forests offers one potential pathway to partially correct this imbalance, however, to do so would require an annual "new" planting rate of 150,000 ha. Overseas research, and anecdotal evidence from the Amazon's terra preta soils indicates that another solution to store carbon and improve our GHG balance is to add biochar to the soil. Despite its old history (3000 years or more), biochar applications to soil and carbon storage benefits are not well understood. New Zealand landowners have shown a great deal of interest in improving their understanding of this complext issue and would like to learn more from both NZ research and international experiences.
There is considerable interest from landowners in New Zealand to learn more about biochar as a greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation solution. Forestry owners are interested in this technology as both a potential new product, but also as a means to mitigate above-ground carbon removals if forest conversion to pasture takes place. Farmers are interested in biochar both for GHG mitigation in soil carbon storage, but also as a possible feedstock for animal methane reduction.
Methods
The project will establish a network of interested New Zealand parties, develop and maintain a website, source existing and new knowledge from within New Zealand and overseas, and communicate this information on the website, in a newsletter, and directly with members of the network.
Latest update
The New Zealand Biochar Network was established to share knowledge from New Zealand and international research on the application of biochar to soil, as a means to store carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Membership to the NZ Biochar Network now extends to over 65 stakeholders. These stakeholders have been kept informed of events concerning Biochar through an informal electronic newsletter, which will be formalised in the near future.
In February approximately 30 stakeholders participated in a Biochar workshop in Palmerston North that featured Dr John Gaunt, from Cornell University, as a guest speaker. Dr Marta Camps, the new MAF-Associate Professor in Soil Science and Biochar at Massey University, along with three graduate students, informed participants of recent research results and also future plans. Dr Robert Hill, from Lincoln University, provided an update on biochar research being conducted by his university.
In response to strong interest from stakeholders, two biochar seminars have been scheduled for Hamilton (16 April) and Rotorua (17 April). These have been promoted through the Biochar electronic newsletter and through other media (e.g., NZIF and FIEA newsletters). Industry visits (forestry and agriculture) area also planned for April.
