Increased forestation has been one of the Scottish Government’s main targets in the fight against climate change, but it’s been barking up the wrong tree, according to the ARC Zero project which found that far more carbon is stored in soils than woodlands.
That was the stark revelation delivered by Professor John Gilliland from Queen’s University Belfast, an AHDB adviser who was also one of seven in the project which involved farmers in Northern Ireland with different soil types and from various agricultural sectors.
As part of the project, which was funded by the NI Executive and the EU’s EIP-Agri Programme, farms measured GHG emissions and carbon sequestration. Impressively, this empowered behavioural change and saw three farms reach net zero within a couple of years.
Professor Gilliland told delegates: “As we race to get rid of animals and plant trees, remember one thing: it is the soil we need to look after. No two farms are the same. Some farms will find the journey to net zero easier than others, but some are there already.”
He said that the ARC Zero’s seven farms managed 515,166t of CO2, of which 97% is contained in the soil, which hopefully will be increased to 530,000t by 2027, with further improvements in soil nutrition, biodiversity, and renewables.
The group of farmers which included arable, beef and sheep, dairy and beef with arable, found increasing the overall efficiency of their enterprises the most cost-effective way to reduce emissions. This included livestock with improved liveweight gain and animal health, better fertility, reduced days to slaughter, and smaller cows.
Improved soil pH with a pH of 6.5 proving key to increased nutrient uptake, and growth of clover along with more reliance on herbal leys and multi-species pastures, were other ways to reduce emissions. Reduced applications of artificial nitrogen, growing willow, and more planting of hedgerows and trees were also shown to lock up carbon more.
Cattle and their faeces were found to be extremely beneficial to the environment too due to the increased earthworm populations found in the soils where they have been grazed. The role of cattle is fundamental to the future of soil health and the environment when their faeces encourage biodiversity.”
Backing up all of these statements, the professor added that more than half of the earth’s species live in the soil which is estimated to be home to 90% of the world’s fungi, 85% of plants, and more than 50% of bacteria – making it the world’s most species-rich habitat, according to a report in the National Academy of Science August 2023.
With the evidence stacked up in favour of farming, he urged individuals to find out their own carbon emissions with the cost of measuring and recording seen as a ‘public good’.
“Nothing will happen unless you baseline measure and manage with forensic integrity. Invest in empowering farmers to change and lead, and not be led by global competitors.
“Farmers need to get a reward for the current carbon stocks in the soil and those with peat soils should be paid for maintaining those carbon stocks but to get any financial reward you have to record,” Professor Gilliland said.
“Carbon is the new cocaine.”
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