By Andi Anderson
Michigan State University (MSU) is exploring an innovative solution for the large amount of timber damaged by severe ice storms that affected northern Michigan in 2025. A new research project aims to transform storm-damaged wood into biochar, creating economic opportunities while supporting agriculture and environmental sustainability.
The project is being led by Emily Silver, Associate Professor and Associate Chairperson in the MSU Department of Forestry, who received a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). The research will examine how damaged timber and other wood materials that are unsuitable for traditional forest products can be converted into biochar.
Severe ice storms struck northern Michigan and parts of the Upper Midwest in March 2025. Heavy ice accumulation caused extensive forest damage, breaking countless trees and creating a major cleanup challenge across affected counties. While some timber was salvaged for traditional products, the volume of available wood exceeded market demand.
According to Emily Silver, Associate Professor and Associate Chairperson in the MSU Department of Forestry, “There’s just a ton of wood out there. Hats off to the forest product sector for doing their absolute best to get this material out of the woods and used in some form or fashion, but they hit a point where they became saturated. They made all the two-by-fours they could and wondered, ‘What else do we do?’”
Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced by heating organic matter such as wood and plant residues in a low-oxygen environment through a process called pyrolysis. The process captures and stores carbon while creating a product that can improve soil quality and support agricultural productivity.
Silver believes expanding local and regional biochar markets could provide a valuable use for storm-damaged timber. The project will focus on identifying challenges in biochar production, transportation, and market development.
Explaining the goals of the project, Silver said, “We pitched this project with objectives that are twofold. One is to figure out what the challenges and barriers are to use the material. We want to get it to a place where it can be processed and pyrolyzed into biochar — that’s step one. Step two is then what do we do with it? We’ve made the char. Now, who are we selling and giving it to? This grant will fund the production of content about how to make biochar and what different types of biochar are like, as well as issues involving what the end uses of it are, what the possible markets for it are, and where it can be sent.”
The project will include workshops, demonstrations, logger training programs, economic assessments, and biochar testing. These activities aim to support the growth of biochar production and encourage adoption across agricultural and forestry sectors.
MC Rothhorn, Co-owner of Eastside Compost, highlighted the potential benefits of biochar, stating, “We’re looking to manage the land naturally with the feedstock we get from it, turning those inputs into something that might actually improve soil health for the city. We put our finished compost in gardens and parks. We have local customers who want to buy it, and we believe our product will improve with the addition of biochar into the recipe.
“We’re part of a circular bioeconomy in Lansing that includes a lot of gardens, farms and neighborhoods. We consider ourselves part of an agrihood, an agricultural neighborhood, and I think biochar is a way to experiment further with the material we have in the area.”
Tom Stanton, Founder of Community Energy Solutions, also emphasized the long-term value of biochar and carbon markets. He said, “I think more and more farmers, gardeners and food producers are going to recognize the potential behind making these changes to help make money and grow wealth in our local communities. Dr. Silver and her team will play an essential role in helping advance and disseminate that information."
The research builds on efforts by the Great Lakes Biochar Network and seeks to create new opportunities for farmers, landowners, and communities by transforming forestry waste into a valuable agricultural and environmental resource.
Photo Credit: michigan-state-university-msu
Categories: Michigan, Sustainable Agriculture