BlueLeaf Preliminary 2013 Biochar Field Trial Results – Small Fruit

Barry Husk from www.blue-leaf.ca has posted to the biochar discussion groups as follows… “Just a quick note to give some preliminary results, 1st harvests, from our 2013 biochar field trials on small fruit: Blueberries Patriot Highbush variety 5 replicate plots … Continue reading

Deep soils store up to five times more carbon than first thought: study

“Deep soils store up to five times more carbon than is commonly reported, a new study by Murdoch University and Cranfield University in the UK has found. Soil locks in greenhouse gases by storing carbon, making it a crucial player … Continue reading

Carbonisation of biomass-derived chars and the thermal reduction of a graphene oxide sample studied using Raman spectroscopy

John McDonald-Wharry, PhD candidate from Waikato U. has kindly provided a link to a newly released paper on his work. He will be presenting related to this at the NZBRC workshop on 4 July with the title “Studying Carbonisation with … Continue reading

Overseer and biochar

How will the application of biochar in NZ soils affect nutrient flows in farming and agriculture systems? How would these changes affect the assumptions used in Overseer? Maybe after further research in NZ on nutrient retention and the environment benefits … Continue reading

Audio

Phosphorus retention project around Lake Rotorua

I listened to the RNZ rural news podcast linked below back in July 2012 which includes a review of a water quality related project around Lake Rotorua. 2:30min in is a discussion on the “P Project”. Their project does seem to have some links to keyline plowing.

RNZ rural news – P-project

http://www.boprc.govt.nz/environment/water/rotorua-lakes/lake-water-quality/
No reference to biochar in following 2010 report (but hardly surprising)…
http://www.boprc.govt.nz/media/99964/the_efficacy_of_strategies_to_mitigate_the_loss_of_phosphorus_from_pastoral_land_use_in_the_catchment_of_lake_rotorua.pdf