Biochar As A Soil Amendment
Soil health (or a lack of it) is an issue that has seemingly gone unnoticed in the developed world – an inquiry made by the British government last year concluded that British soil has become ‘heavily degraded’ and ‘depleted of carbon’ due to current farming practices within the country – and this issue extends far beyond the British isles. This raises the question, how exactly does biochar work to revitalise soil and can its effects be replicated across the globe at an affordable price?
Biochar is primarily made up of pure carbon, which gives it some interesting properties when applied to a soil network. In layman’s terms, biochar acts as a vehicle for all the necessary nutrients for life to remain in soil, instead of being washed away by rain. This is because carbon is great for making bonds – effectively allowing compounds to stick to it while they wait for a plant to use it for growth.
Biochar Activation
Once biochar has been produced it needs to be activated with the required nutrients – this means in an area with little nitrogen it must be mixed with nitrogen heavy plant waste before being applied to the soil, the same process applies for other compounds. Once this has been done the biochar can be applied to soil – where it will remain for an average of 5000 years. In order to maintain the enriched effects it must be topped up every few years – which saves a significant amount of time compared to modern fertilisers which must be reapplied more frequently.
Other Properties
Biochar has other interesting qualities as well – due to its molecular composition it can significantly increase water retention, decreasing chances of desertification and allowing for less frequent watering in sand and silt heavy soils which are common in areas with water insecurity.
This ability to tailor biochar to suit its environment makes it an incredibly useful tool for farmers and re-wilders alike – and as a carbon sink the more demand the better, as that means producers can acquire certifications^ and sell their sequestered carbon on as an additional revenue source. That’s where we step in – as a medium for certifying this process and helping to sell these carbon credits on to institutions that are looking to acquire them.
Using biochar as a source for carbon credits is amongst the most ethical and holistic of ways that we can reduce carbon dioxide levels around the world – and it’s important that as a society we understand its uses as a product as well as as a commodity for reducing carbon to appreciate its true value to the global community.
