Exploring permaculture, biochar and soil in Sonoma on Sept. 18

Sonoma Garden park is offering a workshop on permaculture techniques and how biochar and compost blends fit into commercial or backyard garden soil management and carbon sequestration strategies.

Permaculture student Matt Powers and biochard expert Cuauhtemoc Villa will discuss permaculture techniques and how best to prepare and use biochar to improve soil and make it more productive.

Raymond Baltar, of the Sonoma Biochar Initiative, will give a brief overview of how to make biochar at home and where you can acquire it, in small garden or truckload quantities. Khadija Khansia from the Local Carbon Network, a biochar outreach and marketing initiative by All Power Labs in Berkeley, will also discuss development of local, distributed networks for biochar and biomass energy production.

The workshop is from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 19996 Seventh St.