Honoring Indigenous Ecological Wisdom

Biochar is part of our Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge that is only coming to light with the commercialization by corporations that are spreading this process commercially. The process of creating black earth is more than 5000 years old. Indigenous populations globally, including many tribal nations have continued to develop their own practices and utilize them in supporting systems and creating black earth. This example of pragmatic knowledge transfer through ancient trade routes spans the globe.

Indigenous farmers and gardeners, for example, are still using practices today via the homemade methods they were taught by their ancestors.  Communities are also using these methods to enhance their soils.  The advanced techniques employed today communities to improve the soil's ability to hold moisture and nutrients for the benefit of plants and to enhance crop yields. Indigenous farmers and gardeners, for example, are still using practices today via the homemade methods they were taught by their ancestors.  Communities are also using these methods to enhance their soils.  The advanced techniques employed today communities to improve the soil's ability to hold moisture and nutrients for the benefit of plants and to enhance crop yields.  

“Pyrolysis, a process in which biomass is heated in an oxygen-deprived environment to break down into simpler substances.” biochar is produced by pyrolysis, a process in which biomass is heated in an oxygen-deprived environment to break down into simpler substances. There are two types of pyrolysis: fast and slow. Fast pyrolysis uses moderate to high temperatures and rapid heating of wood chips while slow pyrolysis is characterized by gradual heating over a wide range of temperatures to produces its biochar. Biochar Now uses slow pyrolysis to permit various wood sizes, moistures and nature’s anomalies to be slowly processed into consistent, high-quality biochar.    

 Biochar offers an extremely cost-effective solution to bind toxins and prevent their leaching into surface and ground water. And, as a bonus, the once sterile soil can now support plant growth.

By sequestering the heavy metals in the soil surrounding abandoned mines, biochar prevents these contaminants from leaching into local water supplies. Secondarily, biochar quickly facilitates the reestablishment of vegetation on this typically sterile ground with improved soil fertility and reduced erosion. Moreover, biochar can accomplish mine reclamation quickly and at a mere fraction of the cost of removing tailings to hazardous waste landfills.

Comanche Biochar LLC is one of USA based producers of pure organic biochar that meets the formal approvals of the US EPA, USDA, CEPA (Canada), and OMRI. 

• Applications: https://biochar-us.org/biochar-crop-application-guidelines
• Guildeline for Crop Applications (Espanol): https://biochar-us.org/biochar-crop-application-guidelines-espanol 
• NRCS US Funding Guideline: https://biochar-us.org/usda-nrcs-biochar-funding-quick-guide
• Plant Survival: https://biochar-us.org/biochar-increases-plant-survival
• Compost benefits: https://biochar-us.org/fact-sheet-biochar-compost
• Manure management: https://biochar-us.org/biochar-improves-manure-management
• Stormwater management: https://biochar-us.org/stormwater-management
• Carbon Markets: https://biochar-us.org/carbon-markets-fact-sheet 
• e use of biochar in cattle farming.  This article makes a case for biochar and EMI bacteria polycultures for many functions in cattle management.
• Charcoaling Manure, Greening Neighborhoods in the Chesapeake Bay.  A non-technical article about an interesting study and subsequent implementation of charring poultry manure, adding that biochar to soil, and reducing nutrient run-off. This protects the Chesapeake Bay and enhances fertility in yards and farms. 
• Biochar in poultry farming.  This article is a good introduction to the advantages of using biochar in poultry farming, including prevention or reduction of common disease problems. 
• Biochar and Remediation of Disturbed Lands and Water:  a Review of the Effects of Biochar on Reducing Contaminant Concentrations in Disturbed Soils and Water. A good review of biochar's remediation and adsorption abilities in soils contaminated with organic and inorganic substances. 
• Biochar More Effective, Cheaper at Removing Phosphate from Water. Summary of research demonstrating biochar's utility in removing phosphates from water. 
• Paper mill biochar may help filter Port water.  This article reports on a pilot project to use biochar to filter heavy metals from stormwater run-off in Port Townsend, Washington.