We Gather ...
USBI 2012 Conference
Is there a National USBI Conference this year?
USBI decided to focus time and energy on supporting local and regional conferences this year. We will be sending solicitations for hosting the 2012 National Biochar Conference soon. If your biochar chapter is interested in hosting a national event - with the help of USBI, let us know.
In the meantime, there are many related local and regional gatherings planned. Let us know about yours and check out others at our website.
St. Regis Conference
by Gloria Flora, USBI Director
A March 21st Biomass to Biochar Conference drew 90 people from four states to the small town St. Regis in Mineral County, Montana (pop. 1,100). The diverse and enthusiastic crowd included biochar and forest products experts, farmers, researchers and rural community outreach specialists from federal, state and local government, universities, industry and the conservation community. What convergence of factors created this kind of biochar buzz in a remote timber community?
Several years ago, the Mineral County Challenge was launched under the leadership of Mineral County Extension and Dunrovin Research with the intention to expand sustainable economic opportunity. Tricon Lumber, a leading local industry, was seeking innovations in generating on-site heat and energy and to maximizing their value-added products.
Meanwhile U.S. Forest Service managers and researchers were exploring ways to improve forest health and wisely use the abundance of biomass generated by insect-killed trees and a backlog of thinning. Community leaders were looking for ways to create jobs and improve the local economy. Farmers and foresters wanted to improve soils, and conservationists wanted all of the above but to ensure that any proposed actions were sustainable and environmental quality maintained.
Early in the Mineral County Challenge, Dunrovin Research and the U.S. Biochar Initiative crossed paths and began to work together to bring biochar into the mix to help address many of these concerns.
The progressive leadership of Tricon Lumber soon saw many potential benefits of adding biochar to their production stream and worked actively to find the technology and support from biomass suppliers. Interest grew among so many entities that it was clearly time for a gathering this spring.
Panels of experts throughout the day covered topics ranging from an introduction to biochar, the need for forest restoration, sources for and utilization of biomass, emerging uses of biochar, biochar technology, markets and environmental concerns and current research on biochar.
The following day participants toured Tricon facilities and a nearby forest restoration project.
Participants and others will stay connected and active through www.TheMontanaChallenge.net.
If you're interested in following and contributing, just request the password and join the conversation!
Meet the USBI Advisory Board:
Jason Aramburu, Albert Bates, Dr. Ron Larson, Jonah Levine, Dr. Tom Miles, Kelpie Wilson are on the Board. Now, for a full introduction, go to: USBI Advisory Board
We Study ... The Need for Speed: Reducing Non-CO2 Climate Forcers & Perfecting Carbon-Negative Strategies by The Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, March 2011 The Institute stresses the urgency of action to reduce impacts from climate change, including biochar use. ...The Arctic and Himalayas are warming much faster than the global average, and along with the oceans are already suffering impacts from climate change. Continuing emissions exacerbate the problem. Cutting CO2 is essential, but even the most aggressive cuts are no longer enough. Read more We Test ... Biochar is used in the Hope Mine reclamation project in Colorado From a joint press release by the United States Forest Service (USFS), Flux Farm Foundation and For the Forest. October 6, 2010. The use of biochar for mine reclamation is described. Aspen-based For the Forest and Carbondale-based Flux Farm Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, announced the launch of the Hope Mine Biochar Reclamation Project with the goals of protecting Aspen's water supply, restoring the natural ecology of the area, and raising awareness about climate change solutions. The Hope Mine is an abandoned mining site on the backside of Aspen Mountain with large tailing piles containing heavy metals. These tailing extend down a steep hillside directly into Castle Creek, which is part of Aspen's primary water supply. The effort is considered groundbreaking for the way it involves the use of biochar, a natural substance that has been proven to regenerate soils used in agricultural production. When completed, the reclamation will result in a more stable and re-vegetated hillside, reduced tailings erosion, reduced leaching of heavy metals into Castle Creek, and a safer water source for Aspen's households. Project organizers hope eventually to transform the tailings site from exposed toxic mine waste to a stable covering of native grasses and other natural vegetation. "This is a great way to take care of an important local environmental concern, create healthier water and forests and work to reduce carbon in the atmosphere," said The Forest Executive Director John Bennett. The work began on October 10, 2010, when groups all over the world came together for the 10/10/10 Global Work Party spearheaded by the international climate change campaign of 350.org. Organizers chose 10/10/10 to launch the Hope Mine Biochar Reclamation Project in order to raise awareness of climate change and all the local projects that are under way to cope with it. Other resources: There are a number of research papers available from Cornell University and other scholarly sources on our website: http://www.biochar-us.org/links.html World-wide, the interest in biochar is heating up, http://www.biochar-international.org/ To complement the information in the Hope Mine reclamation article, go to: Beyond coal: A resilient new economy for Appalachia |