One of the missions of the Swedish Center for Climate and Energy is to contribute to increased knowledge about the storage of carbon in soil. Together with the other agricultural schools in Trøndelag, we have established the "Carbon Project in Trøndelag".
Background
Through photosynthesis, plants form carbonaceous compounds using carbon dioxide which they absorb from the atmosphere. Some of this is stored in the soil, and the organic material is "food" for soil life, and also contributes to better soil structure. Increased carbon storage in agricultural soil is considered to be an important climate measure both nationally and internationally. The soil contains three to four times more carbon than what is tied up in the plant mass above the soil. It is possible to bind more carbon in the soil. This will make a positive contribution to the climate account and in the long run will provide a more fertile soil.
Collaboration partners
In Trøndelag, a three-year carbon project has been launched with the participation of the natural farming schools in the county, the State Administrator in Trøndelag, Trøndelag county council and Norwegian Agricultural Advisory Trøndelag. The project ends in 2023.
Objectives in the project
- Contribute to increasing the carbon content of soil
- Disseminate knowledge and demonstration of various methods for carbon capture in soil
- Further develop knowledge networks, business, consultancy, research and teaching
The natural resource schools in Trøndelag will be workshops for knowledge transfer, as well as arenas for field trials. NLR and other R&D environments are important partners in the planning and implementation of measures, and for the dissemination of results in the agricultural industry. The schools have made activity plans for what will happen in the project this year. The activity plan for Mære includes, among other things:
- A “root lab.” which i.a. contains root boxes that show root growth in different plants, soil types, soil structure, micro-life in the soil etc Read more about our Rotlab here.
- Establish demonstration fields with various soil-improving plants
- Carry out professional days for students and farmers based on the demonstration fields and the root lab.
- We also made one brochure on carbon storage in soil.
To illustrate root development, we have had root boxes made, where we can see the roots and the soil through Plexiglas.
