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Hi Rick & All,
I am delighted to hear that biochar (new term to me; are there other=
=20
origins of charcoal ?) has been and is being investigated for effective=20
carbon storage because I have for decades thought manufacture of terra=20
preta in quantity was more likely to save the world than meetings and=20
pledges.
And I think that you have every right to be proud of your daughters=20
and, I hasten to add, equally right if they had happened to be sons. I=20
just hope that 'manufacture' of terra preta will soon replace study.=20
Terra preta to 3 metres on our sand barren soils, for example, could not=20
only store much carbon but convert these soils to highly productive=20
woodland-- for the manufacture of more charcoal.
Now it is my turn to 'boast' a bit. I was hired to study Orchard=20
Soil Fertility and soon concluded that physical limitations in the soil=20
profile were far far (repetition intentional) more important than=20
nutrient limitations and spent some decades establishing guidelines. The=20
same considerations apply to forest soils only to a greater degree=20
because, with few exceptions, soils with fewer physical limitations=20
became farmland and the rejects were left as woodland. So I have good=20
reason to think that terra preta is not only a good way to store carbon=20
but a great way to increase soil productivity, especially of droughty=20
soils. END OF SERMON.
Yt, DW, Kentville
------ Original Message ------
From: "Rick Whitman" <dendroica.caerulescens@gmail.com>
To: "naturens" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: 12/25/2017 5:25:17 PM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Carbon capture
>Regarding terra preta, our daughter Thea did both a Masters & a Ph.D.=20
>on biochar at Cornell, under Johannes Lehmann. She is now at the Univ.=20
>of Wisconsin, Madison, as a Soil Microbiologist. She evolved into a=20
>soil microbiologist while researching microbiological aspects of=20
>biochar.
>
>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar
>
>Our youngest daughter, Ellen, is doing a Ph.D at the Univ. of Alberta=20
>in forest fire science. Most of her field work has been in northern=20
>Alberta and the NWT. Her sister has joined her on some fieldwork there=20
>to study microbiological aspects of burned soils. They expect to=20
>publish at least one paper jointly on that work.
>
>So it seems, even to me, that I'm boasting here, but it might interest=20
>some here that young ladies from NS have research careers in both of=20
>these rather relevant fields.
>
>Regards,
>Rick Whitman
>
>On 25 December 2017 at 10:35, David <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote:
>>Dear All,
>>As the year end approaches on this windy Christmas day I wish to=20
>>extend some greetings.
>> May you all be blessed with long life, happiness, a well=20
>>maintained crap detector and thereby the ability to distinguish=20
>>uncomfortable fact from comfortable fiction.
>> According to an article in the Chron. Hrld. (Dec 22, Climate=20
>>change next year's major issue); a reported 5.4% of Canada's forest=20
>>was lost to bugs and fire while 0.2% was harvested in 2016. Some of=20
>>that harvested wood will store carbon until rot or fire releases it.=20
>>All of that carbon in burned or dead wood will be released in time.
>> And woodland, left untouched and unaffected by harvesting, fire or=
=20
>>pest soon reaches a steady state in which carbon captured per year=20
>>equals carbon released by biological activity in and above soil. So=20
>>woodland, as a means to store carbon, while no doubt better than=20
>>barren roads and parking lots, is effective only as a reservoir which=20
>>may sometimes drain more rapidly than it fills.
>> But charcoal does not decay and charcoal buried to depths of 2-3=20
>>metres is potentially a way to store atmospheric carbon permanently=20
>>while vastly increasing the growth potential of woodland soils. This=20
>>is illustrated by terra preta; much inert carbon stored at depth and=20
>>fertile soil in a region noted for rapid soil degradation.
>> This is already too long. Later today I hope to describe the=20
>>forest potential of good soil based on experience in one small patch.
>>YT, DW, Kentville
>
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<?xml version=3D"1.0" encoding=3D"utf-16"?><html><head><style id=3D"css_sty=
les" type=3D"text/css"><!--blockquote.cite { margin-left: 5px; margin-right=
: 0px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right:0px; border-left: 1px solid #ccccc=
c }
blockquote.cite2 {margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 0px; padding-left: 10px;=
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body { font-family: Segoe UI; font-size: 12pt; }--></style></head><body><=
div>Hi Rick & All,</div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 I am delighted to hear that=
biochar (new term to me; are there other origins of charcoal ?) has been an=
d is being investigated for effective carbon storage because I have for dec=
ades thought manufacture of terra preta in quantity was more likely to save =
the world than meetings and pledges.</div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 And I think t=
hat you have every right to be proud of your daughters and, I hasten to add=
, equally right if they had happened to be sons. I just hope that 'manufact=
ure' of terra preta will soon replace study. Terra preta to 3 metres on our =
sand barren soils, for example, could not only store much carbon but conve=
rt these soils to highly productive woodland-- for the manufacture of more=
charcoal.</div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 Now it is my turn to 'boast' a bit. I was =
hired to study Orchard Soil Fertility and soon concluded that physical lim=
itations in the soil profile were far far (repetition intentional) more imp=
ortant than nutrient limitations and spent some decades establishing guidel=
ines. The same considerations apply to forest soils only to a greater degre=
e because, with few exceptions, soils with fewer physical limitations becam=
e farmland and the rejects were left as woodland. So I have good reason to=
think that terra preta is not only a good way to store carbon but a great w=
ay to increase soil productivity, especially of droughty soils. END OF SERM=
ON.</div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0</div><div>Yt, DW, =C2=A0Kentville</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>------ Original Message ------</div>
<div>From: "Rick Whitman" <<a href=3D"mailto:dendroica.caerulescens@gmai=
l.com">dendroica.caerulescens@gmail.com</a>></div>
<div>To: "naturens" <<a href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens=
@chebucto.ns.ca</a>></div>
<div>Sent: 12/25/2017 5:25:17 PM</div>
<div>Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Carbon capture</div><div><br /></div>
<div id=3D"xbe459afd72a3463"><blockquote cite=3D"CAA9nSY8e3F0cpbGkeseX+WQeF=
feeEWnEtoYF2dPUrxrHdHQywQ@mail.gmail.com" type=3D"cite" class=3D"cite2">
<div dir=3D"ltr">Regarding terra preta, our daughter Thea did both a Master=
s & a Ph.D. on biochar at Cornell, under=C2=A0<span style=3D"font-famil=
y:sans-serif;font-size:18px">Johannes Lehmann. She is now at the Univ. of W=
isconsin, Madison, as a Soil Microbiologist. She evolved into a soil microb=
iologist while researching microbiological aspects of biochar.=C2=A0</span>=
<div><font face=3D"sans-serif"><br /></font></div><div><a href=3D"https://e=
n.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar</a><fon=
t face=3D"sans-serif"><br /></font></div><div><font face=3D"sans-serif"><br =
/></font><div><span style=3D"font-family:sans-serif;font-size:18px">Our yo=
ungest daughter, Ellen, is doing a Ph.D at the Univ. of Alberta in forest f=
ire science. Most of her field work has been in northern Alberta and the NW=
T. Her sister has joined her on some fieldwork there to study microbiologic=
al aspects of burned soils. They expect to publish at least one paper joint=
ly on that work.</span></div><div><span style=3D"font-family:sans-serif;fon=
t-size:18px"><br /></span></div><div><span style=3D"font-family:sans-serif;=
font-size:18px">So it seems, even to me, that I'm boasting here, but it mig=
ht interest some here that young ladies from NS have research careers in bo=
th of these rather relevant fields.</span></div><div><span style=3D"font-fa=
mily:sans-serif;font-size:18px"><br /></span></div><div><span style=3D"font=
-family:sans-serif;font-size:18px">Regards,</span></div></div><div><span st=
yle=3D"font-family:sans-serif;font-size:18px">Rick Whitman</span></div></di=
v><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br /><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On 25 Decembe=
r 2017 at 10:35, David <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:dwebster@gli=
nx.com">dwebster@glinx.com</a>></span> wrote:<br /><blockquote class=3D"=
gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-=
left:1ex"><u></u>
<div><div>Dear All,</div>As the year end approaches on this windy Christmas =
day I wish to extend some greetings.<br />=C2=A0 =C2=A0 May you all be bl=
essed with long life, happiness, a well maintained crap detector and thereb=
y the ability to distinguish uncomfortable fact from comfortable fiction.<b=
r />=C2=A0 =C2=A0 According to an article in the Chron. Hrld. (Dec 22, Clim=
ate change next year's major issue); a reported 5.4% of Canada's forest was =
lost to bugs and fire while 0.2% was harvested in 2016. Some of that harve=
sted wood will store carbon until rot or fire releases it. All of that carb=
on in burned or dead wood will be released in time. <br />=C2=A0 =C2=A0 And =
woodland, left untouched and unaffected by harvesting, fire or pest soon r=
eaches a steady state in which carbon captured per year equals carbon relea=
sed by biological activity in and above soil. So woodland, as a means to st=
ore carbon, while no doubt better than barren roads and parking lots, is ef=
fective only as a reservoir which may sometimes drain more rapidly than it=
fills. <br />=C2=A0 =C2=A0 But charcoal does not decay and charcoal buried=
to depths of 2-3 metres is potentially a way to store atmospheric carbon pe=
rmanently while vastly increasing the growth potential of woodland soils. T=
his is illustrated by terra preta; much inert carbon stored at depth and fe=
rtile soil in a region noted for rapid soil degradation.<br />=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =
This is already too long. Later today I hope to describe the forest potent=
ial of good soil based on experience in one small patch.<br />YT, DW, Kentv=
ille=C2=A0
</div></blockquote></div><br /></div>
</blockquote></div>
</body></html>
--------=_MBCDE56E06-B94A-439B-9FB4-96705D84E737--
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