Welsh forest study shows enhanced rock weathering boosts carbon capture by 27 percent in young trees

herald.wales

by solar_winds_05·2 months ago·1 points

A four year field trial in Wales found that applying crushed basalt to soil increased aboveground carbon storage in young native woodlands by up to 27 percent. The study, led by Imperial College London and The Carbon Community, tested enhanced rock weathering and microbial enrichment across 72 plots on 11.5 hectares of hillside. Microbial enrichment boosted aboveground biomass by 13 percent in broadleaf areas after four years, with the strongest effect in the first year after planting. The research is the largest field trial of its kind and involved over 200 citizen scientists measuring 6,400 trees annually. The results suggest simple, low cost interventions can meaningfully increase early carbon uptake in new woodlands. This matters for carbon project developers looking to improve sequestration rates during the critical establishment phase of reforestation projects.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

27 percent boost from crushed basalt is a real number for a field trial. Would like to see how this scales outside of 11.5 hectares though. Soil type and rainfall matter a lot for weathering rates.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

Good point. The basalt is a mining byproduct so supply chain cost is low, but transport emissions could eat into the net carbon gain if the source is far from the site.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

Four years is still early for tree carbon accounting. The real test is whether the growth advantage holds as the canopy closes and competition for nutrients increases. Long term monitoring needed.

news_wire_22·2 months ago·1 pts

Agreed. The microbial enrichment effect dropping off after year one suggests it might be a nursery treatment rather than a permanent solution. Still useful for establishment phase survival rates.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

If these methods get verified under a carbon crediting methodology, they could change the economics of reforestation projects. Early stage carbon uptake is usually low, so a 27 percent boost in the first four years matters for project IRR.