A pioneering on-farm trial in Pawlett, Somerset is exploring whether biochar-based underground drainage systems could help protect peat soils, improve water management and reduce carbon emissions from farming.

The BioFlow Phase 2 project, led by second-generation farmer Will Barnard, is testing whether conduits of biochar installed beneath peat soils can regulate water movement while locking carbon into the ground long term. The project is being funded through the ADOPT programme, a Defra-backed initiative delivered by Innovate UK to fund farmer-led innovation projects.

Based on the Somerset Levels and Moors, the trial focuses on one of the UK's most environmentally sensitive agricultural landscapes. Peat soils are naturally waterlogged and rich in stored carbon, but when drained they begin to decompose, releasing significant quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 

BioFlow Phase 2 aims to investigate whether biochar, a stable form of charcoal, could provide a practical alternative to conventional drainage methods by allowing water to move through the soil without accelerating peat degradation.

Will, who farms on the Somerset Levels, said the project grew from concerns about the long-term resilience of both farming and the landscape itself.

"I wanted to make sure the next generation would still have the opportunities I had growing up farming here. 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.

"The Somerset Levels are incredibly special, but once peat soils dry out, they stop holding water and the soil erodes away. BioFlow started with a simple question: could we create a system that helps manage water while protecting the peat itself?"

The project follows an earlier phase which demonstrated that the mole draining biochar works and that water could successfully move through underground charcoal channels. The second phase is now assessing performance in greater detail, including practical installation methods and longer-term impacts on soil function and water retention.

The farmer-led structure and focus on innovation excited Will about the ADOPT funding.

"What appealed to me about ADOPT was that it recognised farmers as innovators. Farmers spend their lives solving practical problems, but we don't always see ourselves as being part of research and development.

"ADOPT created the space to take an idea from the farm gate and test it properly, while still keeping the work grounded in real farming conditions."

ADOPT, which stands for Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies, supports practical farmer-led trials designed to improve productivity, sustainability and resilience across the agricultural sector. Grants for projects costing £50,000 to £100,000 are available for collaborative projects involving farmers, growers and foresters, alongside free support through the ADOPT Support Hub.

BioFlow Phase 2 is one of a growing number of projects exploring innovative approaches to sustainable land management and climate resilience through farmer-led research. Explore these and more ADOPT-funded trials at https://farmpep.net/adopt/live-projects.