The MWMC hosted a biochar demonstration this week at the Biocycle Farm for Springfield and Eugene staff and colleagues from several other organizations. Working with a contractor to produce the biochar using an air curtain incinerator, the MWMC tested how this device could be used during future poplar tree harvests. This method is emerging as a low-emissions way to reduce logging debris while producing biochar, which is a type of charcoal that can be used as a soil amendment. In the soil, biochar sequesters carbon and provides numerous benefits, including drought resilience, nutrient retention, and pollutant reduction. For the demo project, the MWMC had a large pile of bark mulch leftover from the 2021 harvest as well as larger branches from seasonal tree farm clean up. The result? The large pieces worked well, resulting in no visible smoke and a significant pile of biochar. Unfortunately, the bark mulch proved too dense to burn well, producing smoke and very little biochar, but the demo provided an excellent opportunity to discuss potential future applications for poplar biochar for a variety of environmentally friendly functions. In future, the MWMC will test the growth response of newly planted poplar trees using our own poplar biochar. We are committed to finding economically and environmentally sustainable solutions for the wastewater process.
