CARBON FARMING
Increasing Carbon Capture on
California’s Working Lands
Carbon Cycle Institute
[email protected]
The Carbon Cycle Institute
Mission: to stop and reverse climate change by advancing
science-based solutions that reduce atmospheric carbon
while promoting environmental stewardship, social
responsibility and economic sustainability.
The Carbon Cycle Institute (CCI) is advancing this mission
through our Ag Carbon Program, which is advancing
carbon farming and regenerative rangeland management
that builds soil carbon and critical ecosystem services on
working landscapes
Soil C sequestration to reduce climate change impacts
450
440
Projected Atmospheric CO2 (ppmv)
430
IPCC (2014): ”A large fraction of anthropogenic climate
change resulting from CO2 emissions is irreversible on a
multi-century to millennial time scale, except in the case
of a large net removal of CO2 from the atmosphere
over a sustained period.”
420
410
400
390
380
370
360
*hypothetical acceptable maximum
350*
Year
Good News: California -and the World- can meet our GHG
reduction goals if we dramatically reduce emissions and invest
in our soils and working lands as major sinks for atmospheric
carbon.
Photo: Abe Collins, CarbonFarmersofAmerica.org
www.carboncycle.org
H1: Organic matter additions can measurably
increase rangeland soil carbon;
Then what?
Feather River Green Waste Compost
14.3 MT /ha C
1.3 MT/ha N
C/N: 11/1
Compost increased soil C pools
4000
Control
Soil organic carbon (g m-2)
3500
Compost
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Ryals et al. 2014 Soil Biology & BioChemistry.
FIG. 3. The black line shows simulated decomposition of the compost following application to grassland soils. Gray circles show the
monthly change in total ecosystem carbon, not including compost carbon. Values are averages across site characterizations, with
standard error bars in light gray. Ryals et al, 2015. Ecological Applications, 25(2): 531–545.
Results: Above-ground production (forage) has exceeded controls
by 40-70% every year following the single ½” compost application
control
compost
in 2008
Aboveground Net Primary
Production (g m-2)
1000
750
500
250
0
1
2009
2
2010
3
2011
4
2012
Year
Ryals and Silver 2013, Ryals et al. in prep.
There were no significant changes in plant diversity
Ryals et al. submitted
Nor evidence of increased invasion of noxious plants
Compost also increased soil moisture….
Soil Volumetric Water Content
(%)
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
compost
5
control
0
Jun 09 Aug 09
Oct 09
Dec 09
Feb 10
Apr 10
Jun 10
Sep 10
Nov 10
UCSFREC, Browns Valley, Ryals and Silver 2013
The Carbon-Soil-Water-Climate Connection
If the state’s 16-30 million acres of Mediterranean
rangelands achieved even a 1% increase in SOC in the
plow layer (top 6.7”) alone, the associated water holding
capacity increase would be 2.67 - 5 million acre feet.
CO2e sequestered in the increased SOC would be 528 990 million metric tons.*
*Assumptions:
based on the plow layer (top 6.7” of soil) only; including deeper soil strata will
increase potentials accordingly;
1% increase in SOM results in 1 acre-inch increase in soil water holding
capacity;
1% increase in SOM represents 0.5% increase in SOC;
1 metric ton (2,200 lbs) of soil C represents 3.67 metric tons of CO2e;
1% increase in (plow layer only) SOC is about 10 short tons or 9 metric tons
SOC/acre.
A 1km representative site 16,217 Mg CO2 e
Marin Climate Action Plan goal 84,160 Mg CO2 e
reductions = 3.23 miles of stream revegetation
Cost $19.75 Mg CO2 e
Lewis et al. 2015
COMET-PLANNER PRACTICES
Cropland Management
Conventional Tillage to No-Till
Conven. Tillage to Reduced Till
Nutrient Management
Conservation Crop Rotation
Cover Crops
Strip cropping
Mulching
Improved Fuel Efficiency
Cropland to Herbaceous Cover
Conservation Cover
Forage and Biomass Planting
Herbaceous Wind Barriers
Vegetative Barriers
Riparian Herbaceous Cover
Contour Buffer Strips
Field Border
Filter Strip
Grassed Waterway
Cropland to Woody Cover
Tree/Shrub Establishment
Windbreak/Shelterbelt, Establishment
/Renovation
Riparian Forest Buffer
Hedgerow Planting
Alley Cropping
Multistory Cropping
Grazing Lands
Range Planting
Silvopasture
Prescribed Grazing
Restoration of Disturbed Lands
Land Reclamation – Abandoned Mine Land
Reclamation –Mined Land
Reclamation – Landslides
Critical Area Planting
Riparian Restoration
(www.comet-planner.com ; Ryals and Silver 2013; Lewis et al 2015)
CO2e Sequestration Potential of One Marin County Carbon Farm
(Over 20 years)
10000
9000
8000
Improved pasture
management
CO2e Seq Potential (Tonnes)
7000
Riparian restoration
6000
Anaerobic Digestion
5000
Rangeland Compost
Agroforesty
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
0
20 years
Carbon as the key to agricultural productivity and
resilience
Scaling Up Carbon Farming with RCDs
• Opportunities and
challenges
• Landowner interest
• Practices?
• Regulations
• Policy: Incentives
Carbon Farming Revenue
* Funding Programs
WCB, IRWMP, Prop 1
* Carbon Markets
($9-20/ton)
NRCS Incentives
(up to 50%)
Local Mitigation Funds
CAPs, CAPCOA, CEQA
State Incentives
Healthy Soils/SALC
Revenue NOT Included:
• Markets for products, e.g. carbon-beneficial wool, beef, dairy products
• Cost savings: Increased productivity; reduce water, feed, fertilizers, and other inputs
•Philanthropic/Donors
[Re] Framing Working Lands’Central Role
in Ecosystem and Soils Enhancement
Bringing science and on-the-ground demonstration
of the contribution of working lands,
to support soil health, ecosystem services, carbon, and on-farm productivity
 Old-frame:
*
*
*
Agriculture and working lands solely as negative impact on environment &
climate
Focus on urban-based greenhouse gas reductions
Local, regional and state policy does not include working lands
 New Frame:
•
•
•
Working lands provide ecosystem services, including habitat, water, soils and
now carbon sequestration
Soils, plants, and rangeland system central to sequestering carbon and
improving water function
Provide opportunity for ranchers and farmers test, demonstrate, and scale
conservation practices (with technical support and limited risk)
Thank You
www.carboncycle.org