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Nantucket commissioners weigh on‑island biochar production to improve clay soils
Summary
The commission discussed partnering with American Farmland Trust and local farms to produce biochar on‑island, prioritize local production before field trials, and visit existing operations to choose equipment and sites; a preliminary AFT budget of about $300,000 over five years was cited.
Commissioners and local partners discussed plans to produce biochar on Nantucket as a way to improve the island’s clay soils and repurpose local woody debris.
Advocates told the commission that biochar — produced by pyrolysis, a process that thermally decomposes biomass in low‑oxygen conditions — can increase soil fertility and improve drainage on clay‑dominated sites. The meeting cited American Farmland Trust (AFT) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) soil work showing the island’s soils would benefit from…
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