Pioneering Place-Based Biochar Solutions for Healthier Ecosystems and Thriving Communities.
Biochar On Site (BOS) is at forefront of transforming environmental challenges into ecological solutions. We specialize in converting non-merchantable and excess biomass – often a source of wildfire risk – into high-quality ‘stewardship biochar.’ This valuable resource revitalizes soil, enhances forest and agricultural health, stores carbon long-term, and fosters local economic opportunities. We are dedicated to accelerating the understanding, production, and use of biochar where it’s needed most: on-site.
Our Mission: Normalizing On-Site Biochar
Our mission is to normalize the on-site production and application of biochar as a widespread practice, using methods that are appropriate for local conditions and communities. Through education, innovation, community engagement, and advocacy, we aim to foster regenerative land stewardship, mitigate wildfire risks, and increase soil carbon for resilient ecosystems.
Our Vision: A Future Rooted in Resilience
We envision a future where biochar produced and applied for ecological restoration in close proximity to the biomass source – on site – is executed as a widespread, normalized practice using methods that are appropriate for local conditions and communities. We want to facilitate biochar production that will help restore healthy landscapes, regenerate living soils, and increase the resilience of local natural ecosystems and the human economies that depend on them.
The Challenge We Address
Across diverse landscapes, communities face mounting pressures: escalating wildfire risks due to excess biomass, degrading soil health impacting agriculture and ecosystems, and the urgent need for climate change solutions. Traditional biomass disposal methods can be costly, inefficient, or contribute to emissions.
Our Solution: Stewardship Biochar, Made On-Site
Biochar On Site tackles these challenges directly. By converting problematic biomass locally into stable biochar, we:
- Reduce Wildfire Hazards: Actively mitigate fire risk by processing hazardous fuels like forest slash.
- Enhance Ecosystem Health: Improve soil structure, water retention, and nutrient availability for forests, farms, and rangelands.
- Combat Climate Change: Lock atmospheric carbon securely in the soil for centuries of benefit.
- Support Rural Economies: Create skilled jobs and foster sustainable local enterprise through training and market development.
Our Journey: From Woods to Wider Landscapes
Our story began in 2020 as “Biochar in the Woods,” focused initially on converting hazardous forest slash to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health. As we worked, we recognized the immense potential of biochar far beyond the forest floor. This realization spurred our evolution into Biochar On Site, reflecting our expanded commitment to site-specific biochar solutions across agriculture, rangeland management, urban green infrastructure, and more. We bring the solution to the source.
What is Biochar and Why Does It Matter?
Biochar is a specialized charcoal created by heating biomass (like wood, crop residue, or manure) in a low-oxygen environment – a process called pyrolysis. Unlike charcoal for fuel, biochar is designed as a soil amendment and carbon storage tool.
Key Benefits:
- Enhanced Soil Health: Improves soil structure, water retention, nutrient availability, and beneficial microbial activity.
- Reduced Wildfire Risk: Safely converts excess biomass (fuel loads) into a stable, beneficial product.
- Durable Carbon Sequestration: Locks carbon away for centuries, mitigating climate change.
- Waste Valorization: Turns biomass waste streams into a valuable resource, supporting a circular economy.
- Improved Water Quality: Can help filter contaminants and reduce nutrient runoff.
- Sustainable Agriculture Support: Can boost crop yields, decrease fertilizer needs, and enhance farming resilience.
What We Do: Our Approach in Action
We bridge the gap between potential and practice through a multi-faceted approach:
- Educate & Empower: We conduct workshops, hands-on field demonstrations, and training programs to build knowledge and skills around biochar production and application.
- Innovate & Research: We collaborate with academic institutions and industry partners to advance biochar science, test applications, and refine best practices.
- Consult & Guide: Our expert team provides tailored advice on biochar production systems, application strategies, and integrating biochar into land management plans.
- Produce & Implement: We offer mobile, on-site biochar production services, efficiently converting biomass where it originates.
- Advocate & Network: We champion science-based policies and foster connections between stakeholders to accelerate scalable, sustainable biochar solutions.
Our Core Values: Guiding Our Work
These principles underpin everything we do at Biochar On Site:
- Environmental Stewardship: Supporting ecosystem regeneration and soil health through sustainable practices.
- Climate Action: Enabling communities to sequester carbon locally.
- Fire Resilience: Using biochar production and application to reduce hazardous fuels and improve soil water capacity, especially at the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).
- Community Empowerment: Generating rural economic opportunities and fostering collaboration across sectors.
- Knowledge Sharing: Advancing education, training, and technology transfer for a skilled biochar network.
- Innovation and Adaptability: Promoting flexible, scalable technologies suited for diverse needs.
- Accessibility, Equity, and Inclusion: Striving to make biochar solutions and their benefits accessible to all communities.