WHAT IS BIOCHAR AND HOW CAN IT HELP COMBAT DROUGHTS?
Research scientist Vicky Levesque is experimenting with soil in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley to combat risks associated with climate change, such as extended periods of drought. She says the use of biochar in soil can not only mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but also improve soil fertility. Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley is well known for its blossoming apple orchards and now booming wine industry, but with each passing season, farmers are faced with the threat of extreme weather conditions associated with climate change. In the sprawling greenhouses at Kentville's Research and development centre, scientist Vicky Levesque is experimenting with new approaches to combat risks like extended periods of drought. One potential solution, says Levesque, is biochar, a substance “produced by thermal decomposition of organic material (biomass such as wood, manure or leaves) under limited supply of oxygen, and at relatively low temperatures (under 700°C),” according to the In