Biochar - helping trees stand strong when every carbon capturing leaf counts

[Landscape Hub]

We wondered if this article might interest Arbtalk members ......

 

Landscapers who plant and protect trees know the active role they and their trees play in mitigating climate change, and this is certainly recognised by decision makers, if not yet budgeted for by all. DEFRA is half way through its Big Tree Plant, which aims to plant a million trees by 2015. A handful of UK cities have pledged to increase canopy coverage in urban areas – London hopes for a 5% increase by 2025, Bristol an impressive 30% increase overall. Natural Resources Wales has undertaken the Wales Urban Canopy Cover Study, which it is hoped will inform how much more needs to be planted and where.

 

Not only do trees have a cooling effect on their immediate atmosphere, play an important role in flood prevention and have a positive effect on health and wellbeing, they are an essential carbon sink. It is estimated that during its full lifetime, a 100 year old broad leaf tree will capture and store over 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Indeed, a quarter of a living tree’s weight is locked away - or sequestered - as carbon, which is only released back into the atmosphere when the tree dies, rots or is burnt.

 

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[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

any chance of seeing the peer reviewed papers on the subject?

[Gary Prentice]

any chance of seeing the peer reviewed papers on the subject?

 

http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/docs/biocharbriefing.pdf don't know if this helps, Bartletts don't have appeared to have published anything, that I could find.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/docs/biocharbriefing.pdf don't know if this helps, Bartletts don't have appeared to have published anything, that I could find.

 

solid evidence and work proving the benefits and viability of this product will be hard to find, mostly because of the industry big cheeses behind the drive.

 

Big business doesnt care about environment, it is all about how much money can be made, even if it means making spurious claims regarding a product derived from raping earths resources for yet another venture that we as a society do not and never will need.

 

all they are trying to do is find a way of legitimising rainforest depletion in as many and varied ways as possible, as consumers develop a conscience and divert to more truly sustainable products they need to invent new ways to lure our buck.

 

the only way to do what they really claim this does, in a truly sustainable way is to use brown rot fungi and stabalise the carbon units of lignin as soil amendments, at least this will not disrupt the biology of soils. It was brown rot fungi that are largley responsible for the black gold deposits today only after the evolution of white rot did this see a faster break down of woody plant materials and hence less organic (humus/lignin) build up.

 

of course my opinion is not everyones, but we only have to trust our only non biassed non corruptible teacher, nature, she never lies, and has no vested interests in the outcome of debates:001_smile:

[Ruskins Trees]

I have read a lot about biochar, still a bit confused

 

What is the difference between biochar and charcoal?

[the village idiot]

Fundamentally there is no difference. Biochar is charcoal not intended for use as a fuel.

I must say that I disagree with Mr Croft. I think Biochar has huge potential for good. Suggesting it will lead to tropical deforestation is misleading. Biochar can be produced from the pyrolysis of any organic matter.

Carbon Gold are not without their faults, but they are doing a lot of very worthwhile research. I think anyone who does some digging into biochar will see that the possibilities are extremely encouraging.

[john k]

Nothing as far as I can tell. Bio chat seems to be a fancy marketing gimmick for the charcoal fines that aren't any use on a barbecue!

[openspaceman]

Fundamentally there is no difference. Biochar is charcoal not intended for use as a fuel.

 

Yes it's just the use as a soil additive rather than burning it that makes it biochar, the word was coined by the late Peter Read, we were due to meet up but sadly he died before returning to UK for a visit.

 

I think Biochar has huge potential for good.

 

Me too but I don't see the relevance from that original post above??

 

 

Carbon Gold are not without their faults,

 

Spit

[Ruskins Trees]

So Biochar is Charcoal

 

Call a Spade a Spade

 

I am going to launch a product called bioliquid, vital for the health of your trees and plants

 

and hope no-one finds out it is water, obviously sold at a tidy premium to water.

 

I have read a lot about Biochar, nowhere in the literature does is it called charcoal or is likened to Charcoal. I do not accept it should be called a new name as someone has found it has other uses.

[the village idiot]

So Biochar is Charcoal

 

Call a Spade a Spade

 

I am going to launch a product called bioliquid, vital for the health of your trees and plants

 

and hope no-one finds out it is water, obviously sold at a tidy premium to water.

 

I have read a lot about Biochar, nowhere in the literature does is it called charcoal or is likened to Charcoal. I do not accept it should be called a new name as someone has found it has other uses.

 

:confused1:

 

I can only suggest you do a bit more research

 

Also, products need different names to accommodate for their different uses. I would like to see a firewood man's sales figures who advertised their product as 100% hardwood kiln dried trees!

Biochar prepared for application to soil would make for a pretty rubbish BBQ