The Whitmuir Biochar Project

A community biochar, growing and composting project

Scottish Charitable Organisation SC043635

Why a biochar project?

What is The Whitmuir Biochar Project?

An innovative pilot project contributing to research and debate:

- does biochar improve soil fertility and crop production? - does biochar have a role to play in mitigating change mitigation?

The Whitmuir Biochar Project is sponsored by the Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund

At Whitmuir we take our community’s woody waste, convert it into biochar in purpose built kilns, then use it

as a soil amendment to enhance crop growth

woody waste

growing trials

biochar kiln

Composting

• Can biochar be used as dry waste to improve the composting process?

• One bin is layered with woodchip, one bin will be layered with biochar and woodchip.

What is biochar?

BIOCHAR IS:

•Charcoal used in horticulture and agriculture

•A soil amendment that retains water, provides a habitat for beneficial microbes, and locks carbon into the soil

•Find out more at www.biochar.ac.uk/what_is_biochar.php

Photomicrograph of cell structure

of wood

Scanning electric microscope image of cell structure retained in biochar

Community led biochar growing trial

• 2 x polytunnels, 60 beds• 2 beds each: 1 control, 1 biochar

• 1kg of biochar per m²

• 28 households• 2 schools • Approximately 100 growers• Volunteers

The people involved

How do we monitor results?

•Crops weighed & recorded by growers

•Crop results collated by volunteers & analysed

•External plots: Royal Botanical Gardens Edinburgh, Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society Organic Allotment

Results from first growing season at Whitmuir

Positive effect Negative effect

+97%

+19%

-7%

+6%

-32%

-2%+79%

-11%+12%

-5%

Broughton School Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society

French Beans+100 %

Cabbages +177%

Onions+163%

Turnips+1,000%

Broad beans+100%

Unexpected Outcomes: School Involvement

“This project is fantastic. It

covers maths, science,

observation, growing, writing

and analysis skills. It is great preparation for the type of work the children will

do in High School.”

Mrs Swinburne,

P7 Teacher

Unexpected Outcomes: Social Impact

• People of all ages and diverse backgrounds• Forming connections in a rural community• People sharing advice, crops, support, recipes … building

friendships

“Fellow plot holders have all been very welcoming and I

hope to get better acquainted with a

good many.” - Kevin

When we harvested potatoes recently my 14 year old said: " It's like digging for treasure” -

Alex

Thank you to everyone involved