February 2026

Biochar and Tree Health

Rebecca Abney

Associate Professor

Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources | UGA

Biochar is a recently popular soil amendment that is produced by pyrolyzing (low oxygen burning) of organic materials to produce a charcoal-like material. It is often mixed into agricultural soils, and biochar is beginning to be more widely used in urban soils to improve tree and soil health. Biochar can increase soil nutrient availability (depending on how it is produced), increase soil organic matter, increase soil cation exchange capacity, reduce bulk density, and increase soil water retention.

In a recent study funded by TREE Fund, we found that biochar improved urban tree survival and growth in drought stressed soils. We also found that in trees growing in soils with excess water, low doses of biochar increased tree mortality. This negative effect on trees was due to significantly slower soil water drainage. Further research is investigating how the effect of soil texture can impact the efficacy of biochar application for urban trees.

Prior to amending soil with biochar, it is important to understand your site conditions (especially drainage) and to perform a soil test to avoid potentially negative effects on soil chemical properties. Some biochars have a liming effect, and others have variable nutrient capacity, so it is important to know about the properties of the biochar you are using and keep important soil characteristics in the desired range for your tree or plant of interest.

For more information and detailed guidance for using biochar in urban soils, see this publication: https://resources.ipmcenters.org/resource.cfm?rid=46300

This research study was funded in-part by TREE Fund's 2021 Tree and Soil Research Fund Grant Program. You can view a TREE Fund Webinar from December 2025 on this topic HERE.

Lead Donors

We are deeply grateful to the following people and organizations whose accumulated contributions to TREE Fund in 2026 recently surpassed $2,500:

PacifiCorp

Urban Forest Nursery, Inc.

Western Chapter ISA

We'd like to thank all of our individual and corporate donors that have made a gift this year. Your donations are vital to our work in identifying and funding programs that support the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge in arboriculture and urban forestry.

Spring 2026 Grant and Scholarship Application Cycle Now Open

TREE Fund’s Spring 2026 Grant and Scholarship Application Cycle is now open and accepting applications.

Two research grants, two education grants, and six student scholarships are available for application this spring. The spring application cycle runs from January 15 to March 15. Information and application details can all be found on TREE Fund’s website, www.treefund.org.

Research Grant information can be found at https://treefund.org/researchgrants.

Available grants are:

Barborinas Family Fund Grant Program (Focus on nursery industry)

Utility Arborist Research Fund Grant Program (Focus on utility arboriculture)

Education Grant information can be found at https://treefund.org/educationgrants

Available grants are:

Ohio Chapter ISA Education Grant Program (Focus on education programs in Ohio)

The Davey Tree Expert Company Community Arboriculture Education Grant Program (Focus on education/ training in tree care)

Student Scholarship information can be found at https://treefund.org/scholarships

Scholarships are available to students majoring in Arboriculture, Urban Forestry, Horticulture, Nursery Management, Utility Arboriculture and related fields. Available scholarships are:

Bonnie Appleton Memorial Scholarship

Robert Felix Memorial Scholarship

Larry R. Hall Memorial Scholarship

Will Nutter Memorial Scholarship

Fran Ward Women in Arboriculture Scholarship

John Wright Memorial Scholarship

TREE Fund's 2026 Free Webinar Series

Save the dates for our 2026 TREE Fund Webinar series. Free webinars available to the public based on research funded by TREE Fund grants. Thanks to the Alabama Cooperative Extension System for helping us again with these videos.

Stay tuned for these 2026 webinars.

Additional dates for later in the year will be added later.

February 10, 2026. 7:00pm CST.

Light-side of the termites: Distance effect of termite nests on tree growth and pathogen resilience of tree species in Taman Botani at UMT.

Presenter: Dr. Petr Hedenec

Registration here

March 3, 2026. Noon CST.

Increasing biological control of soft-scale insects by excluding ants from trees

Presenter: Caleb Wilson

Registration here

April 21, 2026. Noon CST.

Tree Health Implications of Long-term Strategies to Treat Emerald Ash Borer: Long-term Effects on Tree Injections and Tree Tissue

Presenter: Dr. Richard Hauer, Dr. Andrew Koeser, and Dr. Jake Miesbauer

Registration here

See our Webinar page for more information. https://treefund.org/webinars

TREE Fund’s 1-hour webinars are free and offer 1.0 CEU credit for live broadcasts from the International Society of Arboriculture and the Society of American Foresters. Our website is updated regularly as we add on new webinar dates, so check the webinar page for details.

Missed a webinar? Watch it anytime on our website. You can also subscribe to our YouTube page.

Tour des Trees 2026: Registration Now Open!

Join TREE Fund next September as we enjoy the sights of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North and South Carolina for the 2026 Tour des Trees.

Ride dates are September 12-18 with the route going from Greenville, SC to Asheville, NC.

See information on this year's ride and register today on our website, treefund.org/tourdestrees.

The Tour des Trees is a multi-day bike ride that not only raises funds for TREE Fund but also hosts multiple outreach events throughout the week, getting people together to learn more about the importance of tree research, proper tree care, and why our industry is so vital to maintaining our urban forests.

Can't ride all five days? Ride 1-4 days as your schedule allows.

Tour Alumni: If you haven't ridden in a while but would like to join us for Paul Wood's retirement dinner on September 17, join us!

The 2026 Tour des Trees will be an epic ride that you won't soon forget, so make this the year that you sign up and ride with us to support tree research.

Update on December's Donation Matching Campaign

During the December webinar, we announced that a gift matching campaign would be taking place with the TREE Fund Board matching the donations collected that day.

Thank you to the 57 people that donated to TREE Fund that day, donating $2,562.06 to be matched! We appreciate your dedication to TREE Fund and your support of our programs, including our free webinar series.

Proposals Sought for Study on Vegetation Health in Upstate New York

From time to time, TREE Fund will share requests for proposals from other organizations for projects that align with our mission. Below is a request for proposals from National Grid.

Overview/Scope:

National Grid is inviting qualified vendors to submit proposals for a comprehensive study on vegetation health and growth within its New York service territory. The study aims to understand how climate factors influence vegetation conditions and identify strategies to ensure a reliable and resilient electric system.

Key objectives include assessing forest health, analyzing growth rates under changing weather patterns, evaluating species migration, and determining hazard tree risks. The study will also examine climate-driven threats such as wildfires, extreme temperatures, high winds, and precipitation shifts, providing actionable recommendations for mitigation. Vendors will design and execute a three-year research plan, collect and analyze data across diverse regions, and propose best practices for vegetation management to reduce climate-related risks.

Anticipated Volume of Work:

National Grid anticipates this study to take place over a period of three years, collecting data at various sample sites to create a representation of National Grid’s upstate New York electric territory, occurring each year to take note of the condition of vegetation and how the witnessed climate is impacting it.

To be considered for this service, respondents must be able to provide and demonstrate: 

1. Company Profile and References: Overview of the company, including relevant experience, qualifications, and contact information for at least three references from similar projects. 
2. Project Approach: Detailed description of the proposed methodology for conducting the study. 
3. Timeline: Proposed timeline for the completion of the study, including key milestones. 
4. Budget: Itemized budget outlining all costs associated with the study. 

Please email jeannerenae.pangan@nationalgrid.com to be included in the tender event. 

TREE Fund

Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund

1755 Park St. Suite #200, Naperville, IL 60563

(630) 369-8300

treefund@treefund.org

www.treefund.org

TREE Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to support scientific discovery and dissemination of new knowledge in the fields of arboriculture and urban forestry.

TREE Fund earned our 2024 Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency. Check out our nonprofit profile to keep up to date with our impact. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/shared/17bf1c65-c913-4096-8695-11f0dc3fa73f.

Keep this link handy, we want to make sure you always have the information you need to support our work with trust and confidence.

TREE Fund is proud to announce that its strong financial health and ongoing accountability and transparency has earned a Three-Star Rating from Charity Navigator. This rating designates TREE Fund as an official “Give with Confidence” charity, indicating that our organization is using its donations effectively based on Charity Navigator’s criteria.