[Terrapreta] Biomass sources

[Richard Haard]

Kevin - Have you downloaded a copy of Christoph Steiners dissertation  
- Slash and Char yet? It costs about 15 euros.

While I do not completely disagree with what you are saying here  
defining what we are talking about is important. TPp (primitive) may  
never be duplicated or completely understood for that matter. TPn  
(recently made) has quite a body of literature in humid tropics and on  
the strength of recommendations of mainstream scientists we should be  
developing agricultural best use practices in temperate and tropical  
zones and providing training for use and technical assistance for  
production ASAP.

Steiners chapter on current indigenous use in the Amazon confirms to  
me what Larry has intuitively concluded. Even in Larry's fertile soil  
it is beneficial. And not any charcoal makes TPn.

On Mar 17, 2008, at 8:38 PM, Kevin Chisholm wrote:

> You raise some interesting points but I would suggest your concerns  
> are
> very premature. Generally speaking, we don't know how to make TP,  
> how to
> use it to greatest advantage, its cost of implementing and the value  
> of
> returns.
>
> I think we are getting away off track by promoting TP as the Saviour  
> of
> the Atmosphere. TP is primarily a growth medium, and its CO2
> sequestering capabilities are a secondary benefit. The tail should not
> wag the dog.

I somewhat agree with your statement but I would say it differently.  
As a farmer on the user end of the concept its usefulness is my  
motivation. Applied widely in the humid tropics for the 300 to 500  
million subsistence farmers 'saving to atmosphere' is not why they  
should be doing this. It is because they are running out of farmland  
to conduct slash and burn, they are destroying natural wildlife and  
biological forest resources to feed ever-growing populations. Slash  
and char here and there will restore agricultural productivity,  
preserve soil organic matter with shorter fallow periods and less  
fertilizer.

Accomplishing widescale use of charcoal in agriculture will result in  
reduction of atmospheric carbon. For some people like NASA climate  
scientist James Hansen and our own Sean Barry this is a primary factor  
for adoption. I see no reason why not working from both directions is  
valid.


Rich