By Adam Gebauer
Through a Washington State Commerce Department grant, The Lands Council is engaged in a pilot project to create and use biochar to reduce forest fuels. Eastern and Central Washington have 2.7 million acres of land that are in need of restoration to reduce the chance of large catastrophic fires.
In contrast to timber harvest - restoration to reducing fuels loads, of which forest thinning is a key activity - can be a costly process without direct economic incentives for the landowner. This is where biochar can enter into the equation. Biochar is the result of burning various biomass materials, including small diameter wood from thinning projects, in a high temperature, low oxygen environment, and then halting the exothermic process. Not only does this process produce less smoke and trap more CO2 than burning the tradition slash piles, but it also creates a very stable form of carbon that has many soil benefits. Due to biochar’s porous nature, it has an incredible ability to hold water, reduce soil compaction, and create habitat for soil fauna, fungi, and root systems. Thus, biochar is not only a great soil amendment in many agricultural settings - it can also be used to help decommission forest roads and logging platforms and enhance new tree plantings. With scale, the creation of biochar through forest fuels reduction can be a source of revenue for forest restoration projects and a benefit to agricultural produces.
On November 17th, The Lands Council is collaborating with the Kalispel Tribe of Indians, Resource Synergy, and others to continue this pilot project and help to reduce forest fuels loads on the Kalispel Reservation. If you are interested in attending, please contact me: agebauer@landscouncil.org.