Veronika Miranda Chase - Rock Powders: Nourishing Soils, Biodiversity and People From Biodiversity for a Livable Climate conference: "Restoring Ecosystems to Reverse Global Warming" Saturday November 22nd, 2014 www.bio4climate.org

1. Remineralization and Agroforestry
Addressing Climate Challenges and
Improving Social Conditions
V. Miranda Chase
Research Associate
Remineralize the Earth
Restoring Ecosystems to Reverse Global Warming
Biodiversity for a Livable Climate
Tufts University, November 22, 2014

2. How to tackle Complex Problems?
Complex Issues:
• Climate Change
• Hunger and Poverty
• Job creation and Income generation
• Energy and Food Security
The Triple Bottom-Line Approach:
• Social, Environmental and Economic Sustainability
• Integrated and holist perspective

3. What is Agroforestry?
Mixed-use land management system, that combines
agriculture and forestry practices in order to create
more diverse, productive, profitable, healthy, and
sustainable land-use systems.
• Diverse intercropping of species
• First harvest can come as early as a few weeks
• Plant succession:
Herbs and spices vegetables fruits hard wood

4. What is Agroforestry?

5. What is Remineralization?
• Remineralization is a fertilization technique
that uses rock powders to rejuvenate
depleted soils, restoring healthy conditions
without disturbing natural ecosystems.
• Rock powders can be used as substitutes
for chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Remineralization is also a “Triple Bottom Line
Solution” to issues of food security, erosion, forest
management and climate change.

6. What is Remineralization?

7. Advantages of Agroforestry
• Water Savings due to less
evapotranspiration (greater
soil coverage).
• Require less fertilizers (the
plants naturally supply each
other with key nutrients).
• Resembles natural
ecosystems, protecting
biodiversity and producing
natural goods and ecosystem
services.

8. Advantages of Agroforestry
Galbert et. al. (2013).

9. Advantages of Agroforestry
Galbert et. al. (2013).

10. Advantages of Agroforestry
• Trees can be used for
shelter, biofuels and
medicinal purposes.
• It can be easily
combined with other
sustainable agricultural
techniques, e.g.
Remineralization,
Biochar, Compost,
Organics, etc.

11. Advantages of Remineralization
• Provides slow, natural release of elements and trace
minerals.
• Rebalances soil pH.
• Increases earthworm activity and the growth of
microorganisms.
• Builds humus complex.
• Prevents soil erosion.
• Increases the storage capacity of the soil.
• Decreases dependence on fertilizers, pesticides, and
herbicides.

12. Advantages of Remineralization
Goreau et. al (2011)

13. Advantages of Remineralization
• Increases the nutrient intake of plants.
• Increases yields and gives higher brix reading.
• Increases resistance to insects, disease, frost, and drought.
• Produces more nutritious crops.
• Enhances flavor in crops and shelf life.

14. Remineralization Uses
Bioremediation
Dairy & Livestock
Carbon Sequestration
Pest Control Stabilizing the Climate

15. Historical Perspective on Remineralization

16. How it Works
Case Studies:
• The Tucurui Dam in
the Amazon Basin
• The APACA Community
Projet in Bahia, Brazil
• The Savannah project
in Brasilia, Brazil
• The Costa Rica model
(Food, Fuel and
Income)
• The Panama project

17. Case Studies- Tucurui Dam

18. Case Studies- Tucurui Dam

19. Case Studies- Bahia (Brazil)

20. Case Studies- Bahia (Brazil)

21. Case Studies- Brasilia (Brazil)
Two views of a private Agroforestry initiative

22. Case Studies- Costa Rica

23. Case Studies- Costa Rica
More than 1600 trees were planted
Jatropha- Biofuel tree
This model can be
transferred to other poor
countries and yield social
and environmental benefits,
such as replacing firewood
harvesting.

24. Case Studies- Panama

25. Case Studies- Panama
• No fertilizers were added
• This tree fixes nitrogen
• Rock weather by roots provides a sink
of atmospheric CO2
Goreau et. al (2011)

26. References
1. NAC 2014, National Agroforestry Center (http://nac.unl.edu/#about)
2. LEONARDOS, O.H., FYFE, W.S.; KRONBERG, B.I. Rochagem: o método de aumento da fertilidade em solos
lixiviados e arenosos. Anais 29 Congresso Brasileiro de Geologia, Belo Horizonte, 1976. p.137-145.
3. MEDEIROS, F. P. (2014). Sistemas agroflorestais aliados à rochagem para recuperação de áreas
degradadas. Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Faculdade de Tecnologia, Universidade de Brasília,
Brasília, DF, 24p.
4. Suzi Theodoro et al (2012) Stonemeal of amazon soils with sediments from reservoirs- a case study of
remineralization of the tucurui degraded land for agroforestry reclamation
5. Campe, J. The Potential of Remineralization as a Global Movement. 2nd Brazilian Stonemeal Conference
May 12th to May 17th, 2013 - Poços de Caldas/Minas Gerais, Brazil.
6. Goreau, T.J., Goreau M., Lufkin F., Arango C.A., Despaigne-Matchett G., Despaigne-Ceballos G., Solis R.,
Campe J. Basalt Powder Restores Soil Fertility and Greatly Accelerates Tree Growth on Impoverished
Tropical Soils in Panama. Symposium on Soil Ecology and Restoration August 22 2011
7. http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0924-hance_bhagwat.html#sthash.qUYxBq8u.dpbs
8. Connelly, G. (n.d.). Costa Rica Agroforestry Project: Food, Fuel and Income to Sustain Local Communities.
Available at http://remineralize.org/costa-rica-remineralization-for-sustainable-living
9. Michel de Galbert, Fabian Schmidt-Pramov, Gerhard Dieterle and Gunnar Larson (2013). Widening the
scope of forest-based mitigation options in the tropics:The roles of forests in substituting for fossil
energy sources and moving towards a greener economy. Available at:
www.unece.org_uploads_pics_Widening_the_scope_of_forest_based_mitigation_-_June_2013
10. Thomas J. Goreau, Marina Goreau, Felix Lufkin, Carlos A. Arango, Gabriel Despaigne-Matchett, Gabriel
Despaigne-Ceballos, Roque Solis, & Joanna Campe (2011). Basalt Powder Restores Soil Fertility and
Greatly Accelerates Tree Growth on Impoverished Tropical Soils in Panama. Symposium on Soil Ecology
and Restoration, 38 pg.

27. Pictures
1. Agroforestry (slides 4 and 7)
http://www.sitiosemente.com/
2. Agroforestry (slide 8)
http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0924-
hance_bhagwat.html#sthash.qUYxBq8u.dpbs
3. Agroforestry project in Bahia (slide 16) Theodoro,
S.H. (2009) Apaca: Arranjo Produtivo Agroecologico
em Comunidades de Afrodescendentes. Relatorio
Final, Brasilia, 48pg.
4. Acacia Magnum
(http://www.kew.org/files/styles/content_wysiwyg_
medium/public/assets/PPCONT_010847.jpg?itok=lo
cP8yu3 )