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  • From: Mathew Waehner <waehner@gmail.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] if there were a benefit to deforestation...
  • Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 12:49:10 -0500

>
> >Burning creates smoke, a pollutant

Proper biochar kilns produce very little smoke, because they consume nearly
all of the combustion byproducts, similar to a rocket stove.

> >and materials burned should be cold composted and then returned to the
> soil using appropriate tillage methods


That doesn't work well in the tropics, because soil organisms degrade the
humus and rain washes it away too quickly. Biochar lasts longer in soil.

As I understand it, the main *proven* benefit of biochar is that it provides
cation exchange capacity. Some soils in temperate climates are in dire need
of increased CEC, others have different needs.

>From the pictures I've seen on your blog, Larry, you are working good
peidmont clay. That has good cation exchange capacity, but needs organic
matter to build soil structure. Biochar probably wouldn't help much there.
But on the sandy soils of Eastern NC, biochar could enhancce soil fertility
significantly by holding onto nutrients.




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