Soil Carbon Stakeholder Workshop

3 February 2011

As part of its Dow Sustainability Program, the United States Studies Centre in collaboration with the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Sydney hosted leading soil and plant scientists from the USA, Canada, Europe, UK and Australasia for a three-day Science Summit, culminating in a Stakeholder Workshop.

The Workshop provided an opportunity for government, research and development organisations, policy makers, farmers and industry to be informed about the state of knowledge regarding the fate of carbon in soil, and the long-term consequences for soil function. Delegates had an opportunity to discuss the important steps that need to be taken to achieve the goal of sequestering more carbon, and building soil functionality so that agricultural practices may:

• Provide a means of cancelling out carbon emissions that threaten the long-term livelihood of the world's inhabitants
• Increase soil productivity to enable food supplies to meet ever-growing global demand
• Translate scientific knowledge about soils into improved water retention and less erosion, particularly in light of extreme weather events such as Australia's recent large-scale floods

Program & Session Videos

• View event program as PDF
• View event photos
• Read Summit Outcomes Document
• Read Science Review Paper
• Read Key Management Options Primer

Introduction

Hon. Robert Hill Adjunct Professor in Sustainability, US Studies Centre

Andrea Koch Project Manager, Soil Carbon Initiative, US Studies Centre

The Science of Soil Carbon

Wake Up Call
Professor Iain Young University of New England

Plant Inputs
Professor Johannes Lehmann Cornell University

Plant-Soil-Microbe Interactions
Professor Tony O'Donnell University of Western Australia

Pools or Particles
Dr Julie Jastrow Argonne National Laboratory

Management
Dr Jeffrey Baldock CSIRO

Modelling
Professor Bill Parton Colorado State University

From Science to Policy

The New Zealand Experience
Dr David Whitehead NZ Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre

A Roadmap for the Future
Professor John Crawford University of Sydney

Interactive Panel Discussion

Professor Lynette Abbott University of Western Australia, Professor Mark Adams University of Sydney, Dr Denis Angers Agriculture and Agri‐Food Canada, Dr Jeff Baldock CSIRO, Professor Dan Binkley Colorado State University, Professor Michael Bird James Cook University, Professor Phil Brookes Rothamsted Research, Professor Claire Chenu AgroParisTech, Professor John Crawford University of Sydney, Dr Julie Jastrow Argonne National Laboratory, Professor Johannes Lehmann Cornell University, Professor Alex McBratney University of Sydney, Professor Tony O'Donnell University of Western Australia, Professor Bill Parton Colorado State University, Dr David Whitehead New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre, Professor Iain Young University of New England, Dr Michael Zimmerman James Cook University

Wrap Up

Professor Mark Adams University of Sydney

Summary and Close

Hon. Robert Hill Adjunct Professor in Sustainability, US Studies Centre

Participants of the Science Summit

USA & CANADA
Dr Julie Jastrow, Argonne National Laboratory
Professor William Parton, Colorado State University
Professor Dan Binkley, Colorado State University
Professor Johannes Lehmann, Cornell University
Professor Rattan Lal, Ohio State University
Dr Denis Angers, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

EUROPE & UK
Professor Claire Chenu, ParisAgroTech
Professor Phil Brookes, Rothamsted Research

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
Dr David Whitehead, New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre
Dr Jeff Baldock, CSIRO
Professor Michael Bird, James Cook University
Dr Michael Zimmerman, James Cook University
Professor Iain Young, University of New England
Professor Mark Adams, University of Sydney
Professor John Crawford, University of Sydney
Professor Alex McBratney, University of Sydney
Professor Lynnette Abbott, University of Western Australia
Professor Tony O'Donnell, University of Western Australia

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