Biochar Program Assistance and Biochar Summit

CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 2023

Background
The City of Minneapolis is working to implement a full-cycle biochar initiative that will turn waste from natural materials, such as deceased ash trees, into a rich product that can be used to amend soil for urban agriculture in the City’s green zones. Green zones are areas known for having high levels of environmental pollution coupled with racial, political, and economic marginalization. Biochar is a product that looks similar to charcoal and is made when agricultural waste is heated with the lack of oxygen. When applied to the ground, with or without a mixture of compost, it has great benefits including water storage, soil enrichment, and carbon sequestration.

Strengths & Solutions
In 2023, the City will release the first outputs from its biochar facility. Young Environmental coordinated community partnerships with identified groups in the green zones to support climate equity through action. These partnerships will connect the City’s biochar supply with members of the community who can use it to amend their soil and offset greenhouse gas emissions. We led site visits to understand opportunities and challenges for urban agriculture, making connections between the City and community members. Our team also convened a planning committee to coordinate a regional event - the inaugural Minnesota Biochar Summit - held in Minneapolis, MN, in July 2023. The highly-attended event brought together practitioners from many backgrounds, industries, and locations to discuss the current knowledge, production, and application of biochar. The afternoon included facilitated tabletop discussions, which prompted attendees to define key components of the implementation of biochar, creating an actionable path forward to use biochar not only in the City of Minneapolis, but as a regional solution.

Project Impact
The one-day event coupled with relationship building with community partners has driven momentum surrounding the rollout of the City’s biochar program. The City has an implementation plan that has been vetted by industry partners, which will ensure success at the beginning of the important program. The City’s biochar program and the summit were funded by a Bloomberg Philanthropies grant, and garnered support from notable leaders in national and city government.

Stakeholder Engagement, Urban Agriculture, Biochar, Environmental Justice