health and climate benefits of soil and associated ecosystems while producing more local foods.
The City of Boulder leases nearly 15,000 acres of agricultural lands, most of which is used for livestock grazing and part of which is focused on locally-marketed food products. Agriculture accounts for approximately nine percent of greenhouse gas emissions nationwide; however, agricultural practices can also be used to reduce emissions and capture carbon in soil, which helps to stabilize the climate and foster agricultural production and land health. By supporting Boulder farmers in using organic and other sustainable farming practices, we will reduce emissions from agriculture and increase the ability of agricultural lands to stabilize the climate.
2015-2020 City Agricultural Ecosystem Action Plan Priorities
- Continue the development of Best Management Practices for Soil Sequestration--Soil sequestration of carbon is a new science and Best Management Practices for our local climate and soils are still being developed. The city is working on developing soil organic matter sampling procedures to set standards for acceptable conditions and work towards increasing soil organic matter and soil health on city-owned agricultural lands.
- Implement soil protection actions—Work with agricultural lessees and university researchers to adopt soil conservation systems such as reduced tillage, cover cropping and longer crop rotations.
- Identify suitable sites to run pilot projects for soil sequestration of carbon—Explore collaboration opportunities between the city and Boulder County, as well as private farms which are already using many soil carbon sequestration methods, to provide opportunities for testing various soil sequestration strategies.
- Explore Opportunities to Incentivize “Carbon Farming”—Identify and assess opportunities to incentivize sequestration management through both local carbon offset funding or the development of external carbon market incentives such as the Carbon Trade Exchange
- Initiate a public information campaign to encourage Soil Sequestration of Carbon by homeowners, farmers, and on public lands. Carbon can be sequestered in lawns, mulched flower beds, vegetable gardens, farm fields, rangelands and forest lands. Partnerships with public or private entities can amplify the campaign’s effectiveness.