A trial in Somerset is exploring whether biochar-based underground drainage systems could help protect peat soils, improve water management and reduce carbon emissions.
The BioFlow Phase 2 project led by farmer Will Barnard is testing whether conduits of biochar installed beneath peat soils can regulate water movement while locking carbon into the ground long term.
Based on the Somerset Levels and Moors, the trial centres around biochar – a stable form of charcoal – and whether it can allow water to move through the soil without accelerating peat degradation.
Will says the project grew from concerns about the long-term resilience of both farming and the landscape itself. “I wanted to make sure the next generation would still have the opportunities I had growing up farming here. Looking at the way the landscape was changing, it became clear we had to think more holistically about how we manage water, soils and farming systems if we want them to remain viable for hundreds of years to come.
“The Somerset Levels are incredibly special, but once peat soils dry out, they stop holding water and the soil erodes away. BioFlow started with a simple question: could we create a system that helps manage water while protecting the peat itself?”
ADOPT fund
The project, funded by the ADOPT programme, follows an earlier phase which demonstrated that the mole draining biochar works, and that water could successfully move through underground charcoal channels. The second phase is now assessing performance in greater detail, including practical installation methods and longer-term impacts on soil function and water retention.
“What appealed to me about ADOPT was that it recognised farmers as innovators,” says Will. “Farmers spend their lives solving practical problems, but we don’t always see ourselves as being part of research and development.
“ADOPT has created the space to take an idea from the farm gate and test it properly, while still keeping the work grounded in real farming conditions.”
ADOPT (Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies) supports practical farmer-led trials designed to improve productivity, sustainability and resilience across the agricultural sector. Grants for £50,000 to £100,000 are available for collaborative projects involving farmers, growers and foresters, alongside free support through the ADOPT Support Hub.
