Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Iowa Learning Farms' March Webinar: Biochar

Date: Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

Start: 11:30 am End: 12:15 pm

Location: Online webinar

Contact: John Lundvall, ILF field coordinator, 515-294-5429

The Iowa Learning Farms’ March webinar will feature David Laird, Iowa State University agronomy professor whose research focuses on biochar as a soil amendment.

Biochar is a charcoal-like material that is produced as a co-product (along with bio-oil) when biomass is pyrolyzed. Laird particularly wants to know if soil-applying biochar to crop fields harvested for biomass improves long-term sustainability of bioenergy production. As soil amendments, chars have been shown to increase soil fertility by improving nutrient and water retention, lowering soil acidity and density, and increasing microbial activity.  In addition, energy production from biomass that stores carbon as biochar can be considered carbon negative.

The webinar is part of a series, hosted by ILF, held on the third Wednesday of each month. The webinars are held over the noon hour through Adobe Connect. All that is needed to participate is a computer with Internet access. The topics discussed will be beneficial for technical service providers, watershed project coordinators, Extension specialists and anyone else interested in the topic of the month.

Related information

View this archived presentation [Adobe Connect website]

View other ILF webinars  www.extension.iastate.edu/ilf

About Iowa Learning Farms: ILF is a partnership between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the US EPA (section 319); in cooperation with Conservation Districts of Iowa and the Iowa Farm Bureau.