About
Established in 2006, the Pioneer Valley Biochar Initiative is a group of farmers, foresters, professors, students and concerned citizens, promoting public awareness that a growing body of soil science affirms that biochar can increase soil productivity and enhance crop health when incorporated into farm, forest and garden soils.
PVBI meets monthly at the New England Small Farm Institute (NESFI) in Belchertown, MA. NESFI has also hosted an annual CHAB Camp (Combined Heat and Biochar), and PVBI members have organised a Biochar Seminar Series at UMASS Amherst, open to the public, but also offering student credits.
A few years have past since our successful Northeast Biochar Symposium held in 2009 at UMASS Amherst and NESFI, so we are ramping up to present the 2013 North American Biochar Symposium, again to be held at UMASS and NESFI.
Planning Team
 Kathleen Draper |
 Gloria Flora |
 Bruce Frankel |
 Judith Gillan* |
 Lloyd Helferty |
 Barry Hollister |
 Peter King* |
 Erich Knight |
 Ron Larson |
 Hugh McLaughlin |
 Tom Miles |
 Alan Page* |
 Christoph Pollatos |
 Christian Pulver |
 Amanda Ravenhill |
 Karen Ribeiro* |
 Mike Sheehan |
 Dick Stein* |
 Ted Wysocki* |
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* PVBI Member
Track Chairs
Hugh McLaughlin, Feedstocks & Production
Kathleen Draper, Benefits of Biochar
Amanda Ravenhill, Scale, Sales & Marketing
Erich Knight, Policy & Community Engagement
