Woodchip Bioreactor

Woodchip bioreactors reduce nitrogen in runoff and groundwater by catching field runoff in a subsurface trench filled with wood chips. Carbon from the wood chips interacts with nitrogen in the water to cause denitrification, which reduces nitrogen pollution into adjacent waterways.

Land does not have to be taken out of production for a bioreactor because it has no impact on drainage, requires very little maintenance, and can last for up to 20 years. Landowners may need to pay the bioreactor because the structure is placed in a field for decades, and will probably be used for much longer than the length of a farm lease. Designed to prevent excess nutrients from reaching waterways, bioreactors do not directly benefit the land they are placed on.

Sample lease provision: Tenant acknowledges that Landowner has established a woodchip bioreactor at [insert location] in the field. Landowner has assumed all costs associated with the installation of the bioreactor; however, the Tenant shall pay for any repair in the event agricultural operations or equipment cause damage to the bioreactor.