Our history

The AllBlackEarth website was established in 2013 with the help of Earl Mardle and the late John Allen to support efforts to grow interest in biochar production and applications in New Zealand. The AllBlackEarth newsletter followed and continues to be circulated monthly to the membership list (table here).

A new biochar organisation was kicked off with an IGM in Pukekohe in February 2019. Biochar Network New Zealand has a formal society structure with a fee paying membership, committee and a big agenda… “BNNZ promotes and supports activities that provide widespread awareness, understanding and acceptance of biochar in New Zealand, leading to a diverse range of production and application scenarios for the benefit of New Zealand’s agriculture, industry and environment.”

There is a plan for BNNZ to take over the production of the AllBlackEarth newsletter when resources are available. Meanwhile, you can sign up for the newsletter here at no cost. We would much prefer you to sign up as a paid member of BNNZ to help support the mission statement above. All BNNZ members will also receive the ABE newsletter.

To learn more about biochar, check the BNNZ Facebook page which has more international content. BNNZ also has an active NZ focused discussion group at BNNZ.groups.io

If you would like to be kept informed on biochar developments in NZ, please sign up. Your contributions to, and comments on posted articles are most welcome. And let us know if you want to be connected to folk in your region.