Biochar Formulation as a Soil Amendment in the Agricultural, Forestry, and Environmental Sectors

North American Carbon World (NACW) is in downtown Los Angeles from April 24-26. The conference aims to bring together a wide range of participants from government to business to talk about carbon markets and climate policy.

For more details see: https://www.nacwconference.com/

Western Forestry and Conservation Association is sponsoring a one-day training conference on biochar in lovely Vancouver, WA on April 25. Details and registration at: 

https://westernforestry.org/upcoming-conferences/forest-biomass-and-the-bioeconomy-using-forest-residues-for-profit-carbon-sequestration-and-soil-restoration

Hugh McLaughlin has done much good work on characterizing biochar over the years. He most recently set out to come up with the simplest tests possible that accurately reflect biochar's relevant functions, e.g. enhance soil productivity. 

Attached are three well-written papers on Hugh's proposed "Baseline Biochar Metrics":

1) The "Perspective" paper, explaining why these are so needed and welcomed by the biochar community. 

2) The actual Metrics themselves.

3) A very lucid spreadsheet "Comparison of European Biochar Certificate Version 4. 8 and IBI Biochar Standards Version 2.0 and Baseline Biochar Metrics Ver IX"

The California Biochar Association welcomes any comments.

Here are a few blog posts with general information on biochar and some nice graphics:

Biochar and Nutrient Management: http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22132

Biochar and Carbon Sequestration: http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=22224