Regenerative Agriculture and the practice of Agroecology: Carbon Farming, Carbon Ranching, Carbon Sequestration

Different terms to denote a management practice with the goal of removing more carbon from the air and fixing/sequestering it in the soil than the energy/carbon utilized in the process to fix/sequester it. The reason we seek to achieve this goal is to be able to also meet various objectives -- both economic as well as environmental:

• Healthy, productive soil is the primary long-term determinant for healthy, productive crops and livestock -- as well as provide many benefits to wildlife.
• Reestablishing a balance in the carbon cycle and ideally realizing a net gain of carbon in soil will result in the production of increased organic matter, which will also increase water retention -- resulting in a "virtuous cycle" of greater production.
• Rangelands typically cover more than half of the land area of a nation state and food security is a priority in most nation states -- healthy rangelands and productive agriculture are top priorities for both humankind and wildlife.
• In the northwest of both California and Costa Rica, where our efforts are centered, drought is a major concern and it is obvious that carbon farming is our best management option.
• In the regions where we work the climate changes are obvious -- changes in seasons, wind patterns, rainfall, temperature, and sea level rise are all measurable. We know that managing enhancements to our carbon cycle will result in better production, we also believe that sequestering carbon in rangelands and permanent pasture will result in the greatest mitigation of excess carbon in the air that is directly impacting climate change.

While our experience has shown that there are economic benefits, as well as environmental benefits, to carbon farming, it is important to point out that besides the management shift that is required to bring about change, there are also costs. Even if farmers, ranchers, and natural resource managers know that there are long-term benefits, how to deal with short-term impacts has to be considered.

Grass, Soil, Hope by Courtney White is a good place to start to become informed. Following are some resources to get further information and actual case studies that describe real life experiences. We also invite whomever is interested to come visit Rancho Colibrí and witness our experience.

• The 4/1000 Initiative is an international Healthy Soils Initiative promoting soil carbon sequestration.
• The Carbon Management and Sequestration Center at Ohio State University is at the forefront promoting the reduction of atmospheric CO2 through sustainable land management practices.
• Marin Carbon Project and the Carbon Cycle Institute are a couple of places where you can read about the science and proposals for managing the carbon cycle.
• California's Healthy Soils Initiative seeks to ensure that adequate soil organic matter is prevalent in agricultural soils.
• Regeneration International is a movement to feed the planet and reverse climate change via regenerative agriculture.
• The Carbon Underground is another international leader in regenerative agriculture.
• Holistic Management is a great resource educating farmers and ranchers how to make the necessary changes.
• The Carbon Ranch Project is a program sponsored by the Quivira Coalition, based in New Mexico
• Working Lands is a project of Point Blue
• Symphony of the Soil is a project to promote healthy soil.
• Regenerative Agriculture Resources List and articles by Dr. Christine Jones at Amazing Carbon
• Download a PDF brochure about Carbon Farming: carbon farming brochure
• The Society for Range Management promotes the sustainable use of rangelands and provides various Resources.