WE'RE BURNING IN A PIT

Ridge Stewardship Event – Live Biochar Burn & Land Regeneration Training

This is not just a workshop. This is a live, hands-on demonstration of real land stewardship techniques, including a traditional pit burn method used in the Amazon to create stable carbon biochar.

Date & Time: Saturday, May 2nd, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Paradise Neighborhood Garden, 5696 Brookview Way, Paradise, CA

Hosted by Paradise Ridge Fire Safe Council and Paradise Neighborhood Garden (Jennifer Peterson), this event brings the community directly into the process of transforming woody material into biologically active carbon for soil regeneration and wildfire resilience.

Featured Demonstration: Indigenous-Style Pit Burn Biochar

We will be conducting a live pit burn, demonstrating a top-down, conservation-style fire that produces high-quality biochar. This method reflects ancient Amazonian practices that contributed to the creation of Terra Preta soils.

Participants will witness and learn:

• How a top-down pit burn is structured and operated
• Flame management and material staging
• Identifying proper char formation vs ash
• Quenching techniques to preserve stable carbon

Advanced Biochar Integration & Soil Systems

Beyond the burn, we will go deep into how biochar is actually used in real systems:

• Biochar application strategies for soil building
• Enrichment protocols using compost and liquid inoculants
• Carbon retention and long-term soil health impacts
• Water holding capacity and microbial habitat creation

Biological & Regenerative Practices

• Fermenting food scraps into usable soil inputs
• Korean Natural Farming principles and inputs
• Building regenerative fertility systems from local materials

Fire & Land Stewardship Training

• Fire-safe landscaping
• Home hardening strategies
• Evacuation planning
• Integrating fuel reduction with soil restoration

Free lunch will be provided.

This is a rare opportunity to see a full cycle system in action, from fire to finished soil input, using methods that are both ancient and highly relevant to modern wildfire landscapes.