[Terrapreta] Question

[Robert Klein]

Hi Lou

My sense regarding cattle raising in the Amazon, is that it is a temporary expedient and collapses fairly quickly.  I welcome feedback on the sustainability of cattle raising there in the different locales.

The role of terra preta is to harness a soil in a sustainable manner.  Just as corn will produce ten tons of biomass per acre it can produce ten tons of fermented silage from the exact same crop as cattle fodder once the fertility issue is resolved by terra preta.

The problem driving agriculture in the Amazon has been temporary fertility.  Terra preta is proven to end that.

arclein


----- Original Message ----
From: lou gold <lou.gold at gmail.com>
To: "terrapreta at bioenergylists.org" <Terrapreta at bioenergylists.org>
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 11:29:26 PM
Subject: [Terrapreta] Question

Hi All,

I need some help working through a puzzle.

As you know, my highest priority is saving the forest, especially the Amazon forest. I have been investing a lot of hopes in the possibility that terra preta might somehow show the way. But I have not been able to figure out the benefit of soil improvement (etc, etc) for cattle ranching and it is the expansion of cattle combined with logging that is the front line of deforestation.

I know that switching from slash-and-burn to slash-and-char will be helpful. But cattle are going to expand as the world gains more and more people who want to eat meat. Please, let's not go into the protein efficiencies or ethics of this trend. I'm trying to deal with the world as it is.  Can anyone see a way that terra preta might be helpful here?

Thanks.

lou

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