Workshop – Biochar for Urban Soil, Water and Vegetation Management

A joint workshop with Transition Town Vincent (TTV), North Perth Community Garden (NPCG) and the Australian New Zealand Biochar Industry Group (ANZBIG)

Soil carbon has been strongly depleted from urban soils thereby reducing soil structure, water holding capacity, biological activity and fertility. This is contributing to urban resource management problems such as rising water use, reduced plant growth and canopy cover, rising flooding risk and reducing water quality. Biochar is an engineered form of charcoal, a natural component of soil carbon, which has been scientifically demonstrated to effectively address many of these issues.

Biochar is produced from organic waste streams such as wood and has been recognised by the IPCC as a land-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technology. Its unique physical, chemical and biological qualities mean that it can added to soil (usually with other organics such as compost and microbes) to restore soil carbon and improve other qualities including soil structure, soil water holding capacity and soil biological fertility. In this way it can address a variety of urban natural resource management problems, resulting in cooler, more liveable and sustainable urban environments.

Join international biochar expert, Professor Stephen Joseph, in this interactive workshop to learn about:

• What is biochar: its features and benefits.
• Ways to make biochar.
• How to activate biochar.
• How to use biochar in the urban environment to address soil, water and vegetation management issues.

The workshop will include demonstration of different methods for making biochar in the urban environment.

Who: Anyone who has an interest in finding out more about biochar and its role in urban soil, water and vegetation management and associated climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Presenters: 

• Professor Stephen Joseph, ANZBIG
• Ian Kininmonth, TTV

Cost: $20

Light refreshments will be supplied.