2024 North American Biochar Conference Workshops

National level discussion followed by Q&A. Taught by Candiss Williams and Kristin Trippe

How to find a biochar that meets your needs (interpreting a biochar analysis, decision support tools, etc.) ATLAS. Taught by Kristin Trippe

Taught by Deborah Aller

Taught by Rachel Seman-Varner PhD

By making biochar in place, feedstock comminution and transportation costs are avoided, along with biochar application costs. As the biochar industry continues to develop, it will eventually become more economical to transport more of this widely distributed woody debris to facilities for energy and biochar production, but for now, we can address the problem of hazardous fuels, forest health, and carbon sequestration by making and using biochar in place

Taught by Kelpie Wilson

Join us to explore Butte College's decade of biochar innovation, where small-scale production has evolved into significant field applications. This workshop will cover the progression from initial research led by Stephen Feher of the MESA program to impactful agricultural and environmental applications in Butte County, highlighting the use of biochar in post-Camp Fire recovery.

Taught by Stephen Feher

Seize the moment to join the Biochar Coalition's mission to create jobs and sequester carbon for future generations. We're scaling up low-tech, high-impact biochar production and are committed to training a skilled workforce. Through community workshops and professional training, we demonstrate efficient production techniques and provide ecological management services nationwide. Get involved in this transformative movement and help increase biochar awareness, production, and use.

Taught by Ken Scherer

As wildfires become more frequent, managing the excess biomass from vegetation and fuel load management is imperative. Traditional incineration is being reevaluated in favor of biochar production, which not only helps mitigate wildfire risks but also brings environmental advantages. A novel initiative now monetizes these benefits, offering subsidies for biochar conversion through a specialized carbon accounting method. This approach is bolstered by insights from the Biochar in the Woods network and utilizes the 'CHARR' app for practical in-field measurements.
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Taught by Wihan Bekker

Napachar is a young company based in Napa, California with the mission to replace burn piles with biochar kilns throughout Napa and Sonoma County. We use flame-cap kilns (Ring of Fire and Utah Big Box) to turn the woody waste of vineyard management (vines pulled for replacement, vine prunings, adjacent forestry slash) into biochar right on site, where it can be immediately reincorporated into the vineyard soil.

Taught by Eric Mayer

The wildfire crisis in Northern California is leaving landowners with a double burden. Coping with the loss of valuable forests they must also manage the dead vegetation left behind after a wildfire that can easily become dry tinder fuel for the next fire. The Clean Burn Company is helping landowners use the Burn Boss, a portable air curtain burner that can make biochar. The alternatives for disposing of dangerous fuels are more polluting and less efficient. Open burn piles produce smoke and chipping is only able to process smaller branches, not whole trees. Whole trees including large logs and stumps can be incinerated cleanly in the air curtain burner.

Taught by Eric Carlson

Small woodland owners are responsible for the management of over half the nation’s forested lands. The Washington Farm Forestry Association provides information and resources for achieving better management outcomes to small woodland owners in Washington who are committed to multi-generation stewardship of their lands for environmental, economic and social benefits.

Taught by Elaine Oneil

Big Box biochar kilns are an alternative to open pile burning that allow for in-woods biochar production in a simple metal box with no moving parts. This approach is based on technology used by charcoal makers for centuries, but with a modern, mechanized approach. A mini-excavator or other piece of machinery is used to operate the kilns.

Taught by Darren McAvoy