Somerset farmer trials underground biochar system to protect peat soils

A Somerset farmer is trialling an innovative underground drainage system using biochar in a bid to protect fragile peat soils, improve water management and reduce carbon emissions on farmland.

The BioFlow Phase 2 project, based in Pawlett on the Somerset Levels, is exploring whether underground channels filled with biochar — a stable charcoal-like material that stores carbon — could offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional drainage systems.

The trial is being led by second-generation farmer Will Barnard and funded through the Defra-backed ADOPT programme, which supports farmer-led innovation projects.

Peat soils across the Somerset Levels are among the UK’s most environmentally important agricultural landscapes, storing large amounts of carbon and naturally retaining water.

But once drained, peat begins to dry out and break down, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere while becoming increasingly vulnerable to erosion and long-term soil loss.

Mr Barnard said concerns about the future resilience of both farming and the landscape had inspired the project.

“I wanted to make sure the next generation would still have the opportunities I had growing up farming here,” he said.

“Looking at the way the landscape was changing, it became clear we needed 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.”

He described the Somerset Levels as “incredibly special” but warned peat soils can rapidly deteriorate once they lose moisture.

“Once peat soils dry out, they stop holding water and the soil erodes away,” he said.

“BioFlow started with a simple question: could we create a system that helps manage water while protecting the peat itself?”

The project is testing whether underground biochar channels can help control water flow through peat soils without accelerating their breakdown.

Earlier trials showed water could successfully move through underground channels created using biochar mole drains. The latest phase is now examining how well the system performs over time, including installation methods, water retention and impacts on soil health.

Peatlands are among Britain’s largest natural carbon stores, making their protection increasingly important in efforts to improve climate resilience and reduce agricultural emissions.

Mr Barnard said the farmer-led approach behind the ADOPT programme had been a major attraction.

“What appealed to me about ADOPT was that it recognised farmers as innovators,” he said.

“Farmers spend their lives solving practical problems, but we don’t always see ourselves as being part of research and development.”

He added that the programme had created an opportunity to properly test ideas while keeping the work grounded in “real farming conditions”.

ADOPT — short for Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies — supports practical projects aimed at improving farm productivity, sustainability and resilience through farmer-led research.

BioFlow Phase 2 is one of a growing number of projects exploring new approaches to climate resilience, sustainable land management and low-carbon farming systems.

With increasing pressure on farmers to balance food production with environmental protection, projects such as BioFlow could play an important role in the future management of Britain’s peat soils.