Performing Department
FORESTRY
Non Technical Summary
A large volume of wood is produced but goes unutilized annually. Biochar production from forest biomass could be a win-win strategy to remove excess forest biomass, generate revenues for much-needed habitat management, improve forest health, and help mitigate climate change by capturing and storing carbon in soil through agricultural applications (including forest planting and restoration activities), and uses in other materials with large carbon footprints (e.g., concrete, and asphalt). Despite biochar as a potential win-win scenario, this rapidly growing industry faces a few key challenges including market awareness, conflicting and confusing science-based evidence and recommendations, and lack of credible information for both producers and consumers. This proposal will meet these challenges by building the Great Lakes Biochar Network (GLBN) to support forest landowners and mixed-land use owners (those who own both forest and other lands like agriculture or grasslands) with information about biochar production and use. Through webinars, research briefs, field days, and a regional workshop, we will coordinate educational programming to assure access to the best available information, and connection to a network of potential partners, accelerating opportunities for effective uses of biochar for climate-smarter forestry and agriculture in the Great Lakes region.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The long-term goal of this project is to build the Great Lakes Biochar Network - a source for scientifically-based evidence and consumable information for landowners. Supporting objectives include 1) Disseminating research briefs on biochar production and biochar applications, 2) Field demonstrations of biochar production and application, and 3) networking opportunities for professionals and landowners interested in producing or consuming biochars.
Project Methods
Activity 1: Webinar Series. We will host 8 webinars (one per quarter). We propose 4 initial topics and will reserve 4 open spots for network requests and steering committee feedback. Our initial topics include: 1) biochar in concrete, 2) biochar in asphalt, 3) strategies to land-apply biochar - lessons from the fields, and 4) biochar as a co-product of renewable fuels.Activity 2: Research Briefs. We will produce 8 Research Briefs (1 per quarter). We propose 4 initial domains, based on ongoing research at MSU and project team expertise. We will reserve 4 additional brief topics for network and steering committee feedback. Our initial topics include: 1) Meta-analysis of biochar in land-based applications, 2) NRRI research feature (see letter of support), 3) Economic of biochar as a renewable fuels co-product, and 4) Life cycle analyses of biochar in concrete.Activity 3: Develop Stakeholder-member directory. We will create a member directory by contacting network affiliates. We will contact those who responded to our initial needs assessment (100+ individuals and companies), and add members throughout the duration of the project. We will use a simple Google Form to collect information about their organization, interests, and contact information. This information will require a login on the website to ensure information is accessed by relevant persons. We will periodically poll members to determine if the directory led to new partnerships. Activity 4: Targeted demonstration and field days. We are planning for three demonstration/field day events, though will support additional events hosted by network members as funds allow. We have identified three sites in Michigan with ongoing land-based biochar application (crop land, winery and forest site, mine reclamation) but may also work with NRRI (see letter of support) to host a demonstration day at their facility in Duluth, Minnesota.Activity 5: Website content and social media accounts. Our Needs Assessment revealed that most stakeholders preferred accessing material on the web. We built a basic website for the Great Lakes Biochar Network through seed funding, but will continue building and adding linked and original content. We will also develop new weekly content fot the GLBN social media accounts (Instagram/Threads, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Facebook). The network coordinator will maintain these digital assets.