There clearly are alternatives but they usually require non-renewable fossil energy and don't necessary add to long term health or productivity.
The long term improvement in tree (root) health demonstrated in the Japanese work in Acacia plantations and in restoring pines (Ogawa http://www.geocities.jp/yasizato/pioneer.htm) is impressive. Benefits may not appear for a few years. Our local companies are experimenting with biochar and biochar-compost blends in reforestation as carriers for phosphorous which is usually lacking on our degraded forest soils. This use is analogous to using biochar or biochar-compost in planting holes for trees or tree crops in developing countries. Biochar is used in Central America by some organizations like Trees water and People as part of the planting mix in nurseries and in outplanting trees. Many researchers like Christoph Steiner, Julie Major and others have shown us that measurable improvements seem to be most apparent in poor, acid, clay soils where biochar brings up the pH, retains nutrients and adds carbon. Last September Newton Falcao of the national research institute for the Amazons (INPA http://www.inpa.gov.br/) showed us that using biochar can improve maize yields 5 x for a subsistence farmer on the Amazon. http://www.ibi2010.org/field-trip-to-the-amazonexcursao-tecnica-para-a-amazo nia Tom From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Crispin Pemberton-Pigott Sent: Monday, December 20, 2010 9:59 AM To: 'Discussion of biomass cooking stoves' Subject: Re: [Stoves] [biochar] Capturing carbon in the timber industry Dear Tom The continuing interest continue to give me hints. What I have read (mostly from Japanese trials) indicates the results are there but spotty. There is no way to quantify 'and increase' in a general sense. For the amount of money and effort there are alternatives. Regards Crispin +++++++++ Crispin, Benefits tend to be specific to soils and circumstances. There has been lots of research by forest soil scientists in the US West in recent years (Montana, Idaho, Oregon). I know of a couple of private companies that are doing field trials. The best documentation for the benefits of char is referenced on the website of the International Biochar Initiative (www.biochar-international.org). We also have considerable information at www.biochar.bioenergylists.org Several biochar-in-forest-soil papers have been presented at the many regional, national and international biochar, agronomy and soil science conferences. Tom
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