— Regional Chapters—

North American Chapters:

Rocky Mountain Biochar Initiative (RMBI)

The Rocky Mountain Biochar Initiative (RMBI) is an informal working group (of about 100) that allows those interested in biochar or working with biochar or related fields to connect through a secure web based platform. To be linked into this group please send an e-mail to Biochar@colorado.edu.

Mission: "The Seattle BioChar Working Group is a grass-roots nonprofit organization. Our mission is to promote the widespread use of biochar as a sustainable tool to fight climate change, build a healthier environment and reduce waste. As citizens of a global community we feel a responsibility to help create the positive future we want to live in. Through biochar research, educational outreach and the development of technology, we will gain and share the tools to accomplish this."

Values: "We will conduct our mission in such a way as:

• To promote and protect the diversity and equality of life,
• To nurture and value inter-connected living systems, by building community around openly shared knowledge, and
• To re-establish balance, through acts of reciprocity."

Vision: "We believe that with the sustainable use of clean biomass energy and biochar, everyone can help to manage the carbon cycle and rebuild the health of our environment.

SeaChar has established projects in three program areas:

• Research: The South Seattle Community College Carbon Garden, a USDA supported biochar test plot and teaching garden,
• Educational Outreach: the www.SeaChar.org website. Biochar presentations, demonstrations and workshops for schools, community groups and policy makers. Partnership programs, demonstration projects and Service Learning Opportunities, and
• Technology Development: Members of SeaChar are working on the development of appropriate scale, clean, biochar production technology. This ranges from TLUD "Stoves" to Solar fired, steam pyrolysis, biochar production technology. We will soon begin construction of an Adam-retort on the SSCC plot.

To learn more please visit www.seachar.org or contact Art Donnelly at art.donnelly@seachar.org

Canadian Biochar Initiative (CBI)

The Canadian Biochar Initiative promotes biochar as a sustainable vehicle to sequester carbon, improve soil fertility, and enhance food security by advancing research, development, deployment, investment and commercialization of biochar in Canada.

They are helping Canada become a world leader in all aspects of biochar including research, production processes, product and quality standards, end-product applications and market acceptance.

Their strategy is to:

• Facilitate research into all aspects of biochar,
• Focus on areas that sequester carbon, minimize climate change, improve soil fertility and enhance food security,
• Ensure biochar applications are sustainable and have a carbon negative full life-cycle,
• Expand the knowledge-base on all aspects of biochar,
• Disseminate knowledge about biochar to stakeholders via the web, newsletters, conferences, networking and realted activities, and
• Encourage regional biochar associations across Canada to assist in these efforts.

Since its inauguration, the Canadian Biochar Initiative has provided information and networking opportunities to government, business and non-profit associations as well as individuals who have an interest in biochar.

Areas of focus:

• Working with domestic and international government and research authorities to establish a unified format and to specify standards and protocols for biochar field trials,
• Establishing toxicity and toxicological baselines for biochar and its use,
• Establishing certifiable standards for biochar with respect to analytical methods and audit processes consistent with CFIA, USEPA/USDA and Health Canada requirements for 'food and food contact products',
• Assisting to develop a 'Biochar Standard' with respect to carbon dioxide sequestration, carbon credits, verification and auditing procedures,
• Developing an online database that will provide a repository of information to researchers and those interested in undertaking biochar trials,
• Creating and providing a sample business case for farmers, co-operatives, municipalities, individuals, businesses and any others interested in utilizing biochar for soil enhancement and Carbon dioxide sequestration, and
• Coordinating meetings across Canada on various topics related to biochar.

CBI Activities:

• Visibility and Leadership in the field of biochar in Canada,
• Support for research and critical analysis,
• Taking the lead on characterization and standards development in Canada,
• Providing Technical and Agricultural information for practitioners,
• Communications: website, newsletter, updates, etc.,
• Holding conferences,
• Providing information on grant funding,
• Providing policy information, and
• Providing support for projects.

You can learn more at www.biochar.ca

Biochar Ontario aspires to be the lead promoter and facilitator for all aspects of research, application and dissemination of information relating to biochar.

Mission: The mission of Biochar Ontario is to promote biochar as a vehicle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve soil fertility, and enhance food security by advocating research, development and commercialization of biochar.

Biochar Ontario is a not-for-profit organization comprised of business, environmental and research professionals who aim to promote biochar as a vehicle for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), improving soil fertility and enhancing food security. They advocate for the research, development and commercialization of biochar in Ontario.

As an affiliate of the Canadian Biochar Initiative (CBI) they are connected to an international network of scientific researchers and climate change experts who link them with the latest research data regarding biochar's performance in soils and as a viable method of carbon sequestration.

Biochar Ontario aspires to be the lead promoter and facilitator of biochar in Ontario. They compile information about biochar, including international research, safety standards, production guides and carbon credits, and make this information readily available to the public, farmers, government officials and Canadian researchers. They strive to educate Ontarians through presentations, articles, papers, exhibits, workshops, events and any other forms of communication open to them.

Biochar Ontario is a professional organization with a collaborative, forward-thinking approach. They welcome partnerships with regulatory bodies, corporations, universities, farmer cooperatives and public institutions.

"Through collaboration and solutions based leadership, we are working towards innovating Ontario."

You can learn more at http://groups.google.com/group/biochar-ontario or http://www.meetup.com/biocharontario/

*USBI provides the following links as helpful resources; USBI is not resposible for the content of any of these third-party websites.