Photocredit:RusselA.White 1

CarbonFarmPlanning(CFP)isawholefarmapproachtooptimizingcarboncaptureonworkinglandscapes.

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BecauseCARBON canbebeneficiallystoredlong-term(decadestocenturiesormore)insoilsandvegetationthroughbiological carbonsequestration tomitigateclimatechangeandincreaseagriculturalsustainability.

CONSERVATIONPLANNING

terrestrialcarbon

(Understanding the Problems &Opportunities)

Step 1 - Identify Problems & Opportunities

Step 2 - Determine Objectives

Step 3 - Inventory Resources

Step 4 - Analyze Resource Data

(Understanding the Solutions)

Step 5 - Formulate Alternatives

Step 6 - Evaluate Alternatives

Step 7 - Make Decisions

(Understanding the Results)

Step 8 - Implement the planStep 9 - Evaluate the Plan

CARBONFARM

PLANNING

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CREATINGACARBONFARMPLAN

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objectivesoperationsinterest

landscape

Ø

Ø

Ø

Ø

Ø

6

Ø

Ø

Ø

Ø

Ø

Ø

Ø

Ø

Seq- CSoil?Seq- CVegetation?

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CREATINGACARBONFARMPLAN

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ACarbonFarmPlanshouldevaluateboth,but:

FocusonTerrestrialCarbonSequestration:

Soils

&

VegetationOtheropportunitiestoevaluate:Watersystemimprovements,renewableenergy,biodigesters,etc

ManyFarms/Rancheshavealreadystartedreducingtheircarbonfootprintandincreasingcarbonsequestration

CREATINGACARBONFARMPLANFarms/RancheshaveBothUniqueGHGEmissions

andSequestrationOpportunities

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§ AnaerobicDigester§ Silvopasture Establishment§ ForageandBiomassPlanting§ NutrientManagement§ Tree/ShrubEstablishment§ ForestStandImprovement§ ContourBufferStrips§ RiparianRestoration§ RiparianForestBuffer§ RiparianHerbaceousCover§ VegetativeBarrier§ Hedgerow/Windbreak/ShelterbeltEstablishment§ Hedgerow/Windbreak/ShelterbeltRenovation§ ResidueandTillageManagement,NoTill/Strip

Till/DirectSeed§ Multi-StoryCropping§ AlleyCropping§ RangePlanting§ HerbaceousWindBarriers§ CriticalAreaPlanting§ ResidueandTillageManagement§ ForestSlashTreatment§ FilterStrip§ GrassedWaterway§ CrossWindTrapStripsConservationCover§ WetlandRestoration

CARBONFARMPRACTICE

LIST

Belowisalistofalreadyapprovedsoilcarbonbuildingpractices.ThemajorityofthesepracticeswereselectedfromtheUSDA-NRCSGHG

RankingTool.

WAITDON’TSTOPTHERE!

Ø RangelandCompost:PracticeStandardinProgress

Ø PastureCropping:sowingcropsintoliving,perennial(usuallynative)pasturesandhavingthesecropsgrowsymbioticallywithexistingpastures

Ø Paludiculture :sustainablemanagementofpeatlandsthroughwetagriculture

Ø Biochar:charcoalusedasasoilamendment

Ø ProposeYourOwnPractices

ARETHEREOTHERPRACTICES?YES!

CARBONFARM

PRACTICES

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§ CompostApplication§ Rangeland/Grazing

Management§ ForageBiomass

Planting§ Silvopasture§ Windbreaks/

Hedgerows§ RiparianRestoration§ RiparianForestBuffer§ CriticalAreaPlanting

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1. Ecological Sites

2. Management Limitations

SITEVISITS:LimitsandOpportunities

Howdoweknowwherecarbonpracticescanandcannotbeapplied?

ECOLOGICALSITES

13http://jornada.nmsu.edu/files/InteragencyEcolSiteHandbook.pdf

EcologicalSite

LandUse

Producer’sPerception

SOILS

NRCS Web Soil Survey

Should we be sampling our soils?

Evaluating Soils: Soil Organic Matter

1.CreateAreaofInterest(AOI)Ø ImportShapefile(.shp,.shx and.prj)Ø NavigateandOutlineØ EnterAddressorLat/Longlocation

2.EvaluateSoils:Ø SuitabilityandLimitationsforUseØ SoilPropertiesandQualitiesØ EcologicalSiteAssessmentØ SoilsReports

3.CreateMaps,DownloadReportsandSoilsData16https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/

Yes,ifyouwantto:

Ø TrackchangeovertimeØ VerifyorinformamodelØ EstablishabaselineØ NutrientManagement

Whatdoyoutestfor?

Ø BulkDensityØ SoilOrganicMatter/TOC/OCØ NutrientsØ InfiltrationØ Moisture

17PhotoCredit:LynetteKNiebrugge,MarinRCD

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UPPERFIELD

https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/

SoilOrganicMatter(som/2=soc*3.67=CO2e)

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1. HighSOC§ Historicallyplowedsoillayer,0-6inches

2.0-6&6- 12inches:GranularStructure§ ManytoFew:veryfinetofinesizeroots.

3.12- 40inches:Prismatic/ColumnarStructure§ fewfinetoveryfineroots

4.40+inches:MassiveStructure§ noroots

WHATSTORYDOESTHISSOILPROFILETELLUS? 0-6 in

6-12 in

12- 40 in

40 + in

Olompali loamUPPER FIELD: Silage field

Prismatic Structure

PhotoCredit:LynetteKNiebrugge,MarinRCD

ProducerKnowledge

WebSoilSurvey

LocalInformation

UCCooperativeExtension

Sampling

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ABOVEGROUNDBIOMASS

EstimatingRangeProduction

https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/

FORAGE EstimatedTotalvsAvailableForage&LivestockCarryingCapacity

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1AUM(animalunitmonth)istheamountofforageneededtosupporta1,000lb cowandhercalfforonemonth;hereitisassumedtobe900lbs ofdryforage.

1AUY(animalunityear)istheamountofforageneededtosupportoneanimalunit(cowwithcalf,orequivalent)foroneyear.

*DataderivedfromRangeSiteproductionvalues,SantaBarbaraCountysoilsurvey,USDA**AverageRDMisbasedonBartolomeetal2006,minimumRDMforannualgrassland/hardwoodrangeland,0-10%slopesand25-50%treecover.HigherRDMisrecommendedforsteeperslopesandlesstreecover.***MinimumpercentoftotalproductionrecommendedforallocationtoRDM

CALCULATINGCARBONPOTENTIAL

COMET- PlannerCOMET- Farm

COMPOST- PlannerUS Forest Service ModelsCalifornia Oak Foundation

Others

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Ø COMET-PLANNERNEWCOMET-Plannerv2http://www.comet-planner.com/NEWCOMPOST-Plannerhttp://www.compost-planner.com/COMET-Farm

Ø LOCALDATA;othersources1.COMPOSTDATA:R.Ryals etal2013;M.DeLonge etal20132.CREEKCARBONDATA:D.Lewis etal20153.OakWoodland,Gaman20084.USEPA2011.MarketOpportunitiesforBiogasRecoverySystemsatU.S.LivestockFacilities.5.USDA2014.QuantifyingGreenhouseGasFluxesinAgricultureandForestry:MethodsforEntity-ScaleInventory.

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USDAForestService/NaturalResourcesConservationServiceNationalAgroforestryCenter,https://nac.unl.edu/multimedia/photos.htm

AgroforestrySystemsCalculatingCarbonPotential:OakWoodlands

26SierraForestryLegacy,https://www.sierraforestlegacy.org/FC_FireForestEcology/TH_OakWoodlands.php

MetricTons(Mg)CO2eSequesteredinMixedOakWoodlandsandForestsCurrentConditions(AdaptedfromGaman 2008)

GAMAN MODEL MixedOakWoodland/Savannas589Acres

MixedOakForest1,098Acres

TREEC(Mg/Acre)

28.75 100.85

Non –TreeC(Mg/Acre)

29.56 29.56

Total TreeC(Mg/Acre)

58.32 130.41

TotalCO2e(Mg/Acre)

214.00 478.00

TOTALMg CO2e 126,066 525,508

Agroforestry SystemsCalculating Carbon Potential:

Silvopastures (CPS 381) OR Tree and Shrub Establishment (CPS 612)

27https://www.progressiveforage.com/forage-types/grasses-and-grazing/trees-in-silvopasture-are-not-created-equal

PotentialMetricTons(Mg)CO2eSequesteredinNEWMixedOakSilvopasture

1,000acres,atmaturity(80years)

FutureConditions(AdaptedFromGaman 2008)

GAMANMODEL

MixedOakSilvopasture1000Acres(Gaman 2008)

COMET-Planner

TREEC(Mg/Acre)

28.75

Non –TreeC(Mg/Acre)

29.56

Total TreeC(Mg/Acre)

58.32

TotalCO2e(Mg/Acre)

214.00 0.66

TOTALMgCO2e

214,00 52,800

Gaman, T. 2008. An inventory of carbon and California oaks. California Oak Foundation Addendum to Oaks 2040. http://www.californiaoaks.org/ExtAssets/CarbonResourcesFinal.pdf

AgroforestrySystems

CalculatingCarbonPotential:RiparianSystems

28

LocalData(Lewisetal,UCCE2015)

COMET- Planner

RiparianRestoration

18.36TonnesCO2e/acre/year(Lewisetal2015)

PhotoCredit:UniversityofCaliforniaCooperativeExtension,http://cemarin.ucdavis.edu/

CalculatingCarbonPotential:RiparianSystems3WaystoObtainRiparianData

RiparianSystem

Streamlength Acres

MgCO2e/COMET- PlannerRiparianRestorationonly(1Mg/acre/yr)

MgCO2e/COMET-PlannerCombinedRiparianForest,Herbaceous,CriticalAreaPlantingandRiparianRestoration(4.36Mg/acre/yr)

RiparianRestoration,MgCO2e(18.36Mg/acre/yr,Lewisetal2015)

annual 15years

45years annual 15years 45years annual 15

years 45years

Sycamore 1mile 12 12 180 540 53 793 2378 223 3338 10015

Zaca 1.5mile 18 18 270 810 79 1189 3567 334 5006 15022

AlamoPintado 3.5miles 42 42 630 1890 185 2775 8324 779 11682 35051

SanAntonio 1.75miles 21 21 315 945 92 1387 4162 389 5841 17525

TOTAL 7.75 94 93 1,395 4,185 410 6,144 18,431 1,725 25,867 77,613

Riparian Carbon Capture Potential - Metric Tons CO2e per Year

CalculatingCarbonPotential:Compost Appl icat ion

Rangeland:1.49MTCO2e/acre/year• R.Ryals etal2013

Cropland/Pastures:0.18MTCO2e/acre/year• COMET-Planner(590)

COMPOST-Planner(CDFA2017)

P red i c ted Cumu l a t i ve CO2e S eque s t ra t i on Re su l t i n g F rom Compos t App l i ca t i on on 4 , 300 a c re s o f G ra zed G ra s s l and

CalculatingCarbonPotential:RangelandCompost

* 10, 20 and 30 year totals are cumulative for that period; yearly values represent amount of CO2 sequestered in that year only for all treated acres. Ryals and Silver 2013

APPLYAGAIN

CalculatingCarbonPotential:CroplandCompost

33SierraForestryLegacy,https://www.sierraforestlegacy.org/FC_FireForestEcology/TH_OakWoodlands.php

Assumptions: 1% SOM = 0.5% SOC = 5 tons C/acre = 18.35 Mg CO2e/acreCompost = 33% OM, or 16.5% C;

1” compost = 70 short tons/acre x 0.165 = 11.55 x 3.67/1.1 = 38.5 Mg CO2/acre.Approximately one half of compost C is assumed lost annually under tillage.

CO2e reduction at Maturity = 708,270 Metric Tons = 149,109 Passenger vehicles

driven for one year!

SUMMARY

Potentialterrestrialcarbonsequestrationonan8,000acreSantaBarbaraRanchthroughimplementationofconservationpracticesidentifiedthroughtheCarbonFarmPlanningProcess

Charts

Soil,WaterandCarbonPRACTICE DESCRIPTION

20YEARSOMINCREASE

(Mg)

ANNUALWHCINCREASEBYYEAR20(AF)

CompostapplicationonRangeland(NRCSpracticestandardindevelopment)

Applicationof1/4”ofcompostto4300acresofpermanentpasture.

53867Mg 493.78

CompostapplicationonCropland(590)

Applicationof1”ofcompostto617acresofcropland.

23637.05Mg

216.67

Shelterbelt(380) 13.6miles(90acres)of50’wideshelterbelts

1068.12Mg 9.79

PrescribedGrazing(528)Grazingmanagementtofavorperennialsandimproveproductionon7300acres.

15912.80Mg 145.86

RiparianRestoration

Restorationof94acresofripariansystemalong7.75milesofstreamcorridorPlantingofnativetreesandshrubs.

3043.23Mg(derivedfromLewisetal2015) 27.89

Minimum-Tillage(345) Conversionoftilledcropfieldstominimumtillageoncroplands

1089.91Mg 9.99

Silvopasture(381)Establishtreesonapproximately1,000acres)oftreelesspasture.

4027.24Mg(derivedfromGaman2008) 36.91

TOTAL 103,070.36 917.52[1] Lewisetal2015modelcoefficientsindicateannualincreasesofsoilcarbon=0.2kg/m2.1acre=4046.85642m2.

EstimatedAdditionalSoilWaterHoldingCapacityWithCarbonFarmPlan

Implementation,8,000acreRanch,SantaBarbaraCounty,CASanta Barbara County, CA

Assumption:1%SOM≈1acreinch WHC

Co-BenefitsCo-BenefitsallowyoutooutlinebenefitsofyourpracticesaboveandbeyondGHGs!

WhatbenefitscanCarbonFarmingprovide?OnFarmandGlobally

▪ AnnualAvoidedEmissionsfromMethaneandFossilEnergyConsumption

▪ HabitatStructuralandSpeciesDiversity▪ ImprovedWaterHoldingCapacity▪ ImprovedSoilQualityandFertility/“Health”▪ ImprovedWaterQuality▪ NetPrimaryProductivity▪ StabilizeSoils▪ Increasesoildepth▪ SequesterCarbon

PhotoCredit:Unknown

HowdowedescribeCo-Benefits?

PotentialCarbonBeneficialPracticesandEstimatedEffects

Co-BenefitsCARBONFARMPLANNING

Monitoring Soil Carbon

SamplingSoilsforOrganicCarbon

ProtocolByKenOster,USDA- NaturalResourcesConservationService–6/3/2016

(10) Grid with 10 randomly selected intersection points.https://www.random.org/integers/

MeasurementMethodologies: P roces s fo r Dec i s i on Mak ing

MonitoringandRecordKeepingImplementat ionT imel ine

CONSERVATIONPRACTICE

LOCATION& EXTENT

CO2e BENEFIT ASSOCIATED BENEFITS NOTES DATE

NRCS Practice (s)&Associated Number

Identify Location(See CFP Map) & Monitoring Photo Points

Calculated Using:COMET-Farm, COMET-Planner, or Local Data

Soil

Hea

lth

Wat

er Q

ualit

y

Wat

er Q

uant

ity

Wild

life

Enha

ncem

ent

Plan

t Com

mun

ity

Air

Qua

lity

Prod

ucer

-Ec

onom

ic

Funding Source Implemented &/or Maintained

Riparian Forest Buffer/ Riparian Restoration (391)

Unnamed tributary, lower reach on pasture three§ 2 of 6 miles

Local Data: Lewis et al. X X X X X X Marin RCD Fall, 2017

Compost Facility (317) South Chicken Yard N/A X X Fall, 2017

Windbreak/Shelterbelt/Hedgerow(422/380/620)

West Pasture 4, along fence line (south - north)§ 550 linear feet

COMET- Planner X X X X X X Fall, 2018

Compost Application; pasture &crop land (484/590)

Apply ¼” of compost to 115 acres of 350 acres of prescribed pastureland & 1” of compost to 10 of 10 acres of cropland

Local Data:Ryals and Silver 2013 X X X X X Fall, 2018

A SUCCESSFUL CARBON FARM PLAN CULTIVATES CARBON FARMERS!

PhotoCredit:MarinAgricultureLandTrust

“

42

LynetteNiebruggelynette@marinrcd.org

JeffCrequejcreque@carboncycle.org

Aplanisalivingdocument.Aplanshouldevolveasnewinformationandnewtools

becomeavailable.