[Terrapreta] 2007 IAI Conference in Australia: Update

[Debbie Reed]

Ron,
  Thanks for the query.  We are getting down to the final planning for the upcoming 2007 Conference of the International Agrichar Initiative, which will be held April 29-May 2 in coastal Terrigal, NSW.  We had a great response to the call for abstracts, and have 14 oral presentations and 24 poster presentations scheduled, on various aspects of agrichar/biochar research and development, the impacts and benefits of agrichar/biochar, agrichar/biochar production and testing, and economics, environment, and policy applications.  We also have a day of panel discussions on agrichar/biochar R&D, and production and utilization/markets and commercialization, and a plenary discussion to prioritize future management questions for the IAI.  We are very excited that Professor Tim Flannery (author of The Weather Makers, and other books) will deliver the keynote wrap-up.  Mike Mason of Climate Care (a carbon offsets company in the UK) will also be speaking, and we are still in discussions
 with Peter Garrett (an Australian MP) as a potential dinner speaker.  We are hoping to have some exciting announcements about new projects and support for the initiative by the time of the Conference, all with the goal of furthering promotion and commercialization of the technology at various scales.  
   
  Two conference field trips are also planned -- one just prior to the start of the conference to see field trials at the NSW Department of Primary Industries, where agrichar/biochar has been applied to soils and crop response and other impacts are being tested.  We understand that we will hear about some very exciting impacts from these trials, both during the field trip and at the conference.  The second trip will be to visit the BEST Energies pyrolysis unit and facility in Somersby.  
   
  We have also had a great response from Sponsors, many of whom are involved in agrichar production and development.  Registrations are coming in from around the world, which is as we had hoped, and include both academic/research and business interests, which will make for some great discussions and interactions.  Please visit the conference website at www.iaiconference.org for an updated agenda and information for registration and travel to attend.  We will be posting abstracts from the conference, as well as (un-reviewed) papers and powerpoint presentations that are delivered during the conference, for those unable to attend.  
   
  Please feel free to contact me for further information, and we hope that some of you may join us!
   
  Debbie Reed, Coordinator
  International Agrichar Initiative

 
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