[Terrapreta] Soil test and CEC

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Michael,

I would like to mention again (most recently in response to Jim Mason about using plastic as a feedstock source for charcoal) that one of the most important reasons for using a biomass feedstock to make charcoal (i.e. biochar) for amendment into soil is that the plants which constitute that biomass take CO2 out of the atmosphere when they grow.  Thus we harvest carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it in soil.  Terra Preta soils formed from already sequestered carbon (e.g. Victorian brown coal, peat, etc.) will not do this.
It is better than burning it to be sure, but it would be far better to just leave it alone and make charcoal from other recently grown biomass (let's say agricultural wastes for instance).

I do realize that many people on this list view the formation of new Terra Preta soils (aka Terra Preta Nova) as mainly for the improvement of degraded soils.  However, I would point out that the entire climate system, not just the soils needs remediation.  The survivability of some current floral cultures and productivity of agriculture will not depend alone on soil health.  Rising GHG concentrations and the resulting higher global temperatures have been shown to increase the incidence and depth of droughts.  The atmosphere is being sickened daily with our pumping fossil fuel carbon into it.  Healthy soils alone under an unhealthy atmosphere is not going to get us what we wish to achieve in terms of agricultural revival.

Amending soil with biochar made from grown biomass feedstock sources will improve both the atmosphere and the soils.

Regards,

SKB
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Michael Bailes<mailto:michaelangelica at gmail.com> 
  To: Terrapreta<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 6:17 PM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Soil test and CEC


  Victorian brown coal is one step up from peat and can be used as a soil amendment.
  It would be good to have another reason to use coal rather than burning it.
  You may be interested in this hypography thread
  http://forums.hypography.com/terra-preta/11638-coal-soil-amendment.html?highlight=coal<http://forums.hypography.com/terra-preta/11638-coal-soil-amendment.html?highlight=coal>
  Contributions are welcome!

  Adriana from BEST has sent me some PDF files on CEC and charcoal
  Which I have sent to Tom to make available in the TP "library" 

  She also told me there is a bioenergy conference at Mudgee NSW very soon.
  If you would like me to send you details drop me an email.

  I note New Zealand has stopped building further coal fired power stations. 
  They may be a little more aware of Global Warming as they are already getting a trickle of refugees from flooded pacific islands
  m. 


  On 06/11/2007, Allan Balliett <aballiett at frontiernet.net <mailto:aballiett at frontiernet.net>> wrote: 
    Jim - Can you point me to some of the Amish farmers you speak of
    below? 

  Michael the Archangel

  "You can fix all the world's problems in a garden. . . . 
  Most people don't know that"
  FROM
  http://www.blog.thesietch.org/wp-content/permaculture.swf <http://www.blog.thesietch.org/wp-content/permaculture.swf>_______________________________________________
  Terrapreta mailing list
  Terrapreta at bioenergylists.org
  http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biochar/
  http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org
  http://info.bioenergylists.org
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: /pipermail/terrapreta_bioenergylists.org/attachments/20071106/f7ff80fa/attachment.html