Article and photos by Barb Spears, MNWWN President
Carlton SWCD staff and the Oregon kiln.
On a chilly Tuesday, October 17, I took a lovely fall drive to Carlton, MN to see the Carlton County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Oregon biochar kiln demonstration and share MNWWN information. I dressed for the cold morning, but I also knew there would be a large fire – a biochar fire – to help keep me warm!
Interest in biochar has been increasing and is something to be aware of as more research is completed and more opportunities for biochar production and utilization are identified. So, what is biochar? Essentially, biochar is a form of specialized charcoal made by “baking” biomass such as woody debris, agricultural residues, and other organic materials in the absence of oxygen and stopping the process before the material turns to ash. There are many benefits attributed to the use of biochar including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by sequestering carbon, improved soil health through water and nutrient retention, and livestock bedding. In woodland management burning diseased trees and invasive species, such as buckthorn, is an effective disposal strategy. Other woodland management practices such as a timber harvest, timber stand improvement, and wildlife habitat improvement may result in excess woody biomass that can be converted to biochar to help in wildfire prevention with the biochar applied to the land as a soil health amendment.
Buckthorn biochar!
The demonstration in Carlton involved woody debris from a heavy snowstorm in December of 2022. The biomass from that storm created a significant fuel load and wildfire potential. The Carlton SWCD demonstrated how to use an Oregon flame cap biochar kiln, made by high school students at Cromwell-Wright High School (also a DNR School Forest), to convert potential wildfire material into biochar that can be utilized on a woodland owner scale. The Carlton SWCD has two Oregon kilns available to rent so woodland owners can see if this is an option for them.
Will biochar production and utilization be an option for woodland owners? It’s hard to tell at this point, but I do think it is worth considering when there is a need to manage woody biomass from storm events or sustainable woodland management activities.
As with anything, there are many variables to learn about and consider before deciding to produce and/or use biochar. Here are a few links to additional information and the “story” of the Carlton SWCD’s work with biochar:
Brad Matlack, Carlton SWCD and the Oregon kiln.