Conversion of wood and other forest residue into highly value-added product will help diversify and improve forestry industry profitability and sustainability

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded $293,472 to West Virginia State University Research and Development Corporation on October 1, 2025, under the Cooperative Forestry Research program (CFDA 10.202) to conduct field and laboratory research on biochar soil amendments in Appalachian regions.

The project will establish field research studies at multiple locations representing reclaimed mine sites and farmlands with different soil types typical to the region, testing forest industry product residue biochar at application rates ranging from 0 to 96 milligrams per hectare. The research will explore underlying physical and biogeochemical processes to understand biochar's impact on soil properties, productivity, and health, and will develop recommendations and decision-making matrices to support broader adoption of biochar as a soil amendment by regional forestry industry, landowners, and rural and farming communities. The work addresses the low fertility of native Appalachian soils and soil productivity degradation from surface mining operations and reclamation activities.

Place of performance is Dunbar, West Virginia. The period of performance runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. West Virginia State University Research and Development Corporation, the technology transfer and economic development arm of West Virginia State University, a 1890 Land Grant College and HBCU, serves as the recipient.

One such conversion pathway is production of biochar, a carbon-rich charcoal like material produce during pyrolysis (the burning of biomass in oxygen-limited environment). Used as soil amendment, biochar can enhance forest and arable land productivity and resiliency. Biochar properties (e.g. high porosity, high carbon content, ASH and nutrient content, etc.) hold a great potential in enhancing soil nutrient and water holding capacity, increasing soil organic matter content, stimulate microbial activity, and in improving soil resiliency to drought and to overall improve soil health. Giving the inherent low fertility of native appalachian regional soils and the adverse impact of surface mining operations and reclamation on regional soil productivity, use of biochar as soil amendment can significantly improve regional land productivity, strengthening rural economy and communities. Yet, given biochar impact dependency on soil inherent and dynamic properties, on crop and biochar type and application rate, much uncertainty still exists, hindering wide adoption and use of the practice. The purpose of this project is to understand the impact of biochar on properties, productivity, and health of soils and land-uses typical to the appalachian region, and to develop recommendations and decision making matrices for its broader adoption and use as soil amendment by regional forestry industry, land owners, and rural and farming communities. Underlying physical and biogeochemical processes will be explored in field and laboratory settings. Field research studies will be established at different locations, representing reclaimed mine sites and farm lands of different soil types typical to the region, testing forest industry product residue biochar at different application rates (0-96 MG per hectar). Meteorological data will be recorded at each site and selected research plots will be instrumented with soil sensors to continuously monitor soil moisture temperature and salinity. Additionally, soil carbon emission dynamics will be monitored at one of the sites to quantify biochar impact on soil organic matter and carbon dynamics and stability. Soil samples will be collected annually for comprehensive analysis and yield and vegetation composition will be recorded. Lab assays, and analysis on undisturbed samples will accommod ATE the field study to asses biochar impact on soil nutrients and contaminants retention and leaching, soil water retention, soil organic matter and carbon dynamics, etc. Results of this study will enhance our understanding of the impact of biochar on soil processes and overall impact on regional soil health and productivity. Decision making process matrices will be used to develop regional soil specific management practices and recommendations. The research sites will be used as demonstration sites to further enhance stakeholder awareness and adoption of the use of biochar as soil amendment. Outcomes will be shared with the public in the form of field days, presentation at regional and national and international professional and scientific meeting, publication in peer reviewed journals, and development of publically available decision making matrices for privet and public end-users application and use. Outcomes of this study will expand and improve regional productive land inventory, improve marginal lands and reclaimed mine land productivity and health, and expand forest product market versatility, diversity, and utilization. This will benefit regional forestry and forest product industry, land owners, and farming, rural and urban communities, as well as local state and federal regulatory and service agencies.