Doc. Lukáš Trakal from the Department of Geoenvironmental Sciences of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences CZU Prague received the prestigious Czech Head Award - Minister of the Environment Award on November 24th, 2024, at a ceremony broadcast live on Czech Television. The awards are awarded annually by the Czech Head PROJECT Institute, which helps scientists and researchers build public awareness of their contribution to society and popularize domestic science.
Lukáš Trakal is one of the key scientists and pioneers of biochar research in the Czech Republic. Biochar is a solid material obtained by the thermal decomposition of biomass in an environment with limited oxygen content. Thanks to its properties, it is essential in solving current global challenges, including locking carbon in the soil and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It thus represents a sustainable tool in the fight against climate change. "I greatly appreciate this extraordinary award and sincerely thank all my teammates from CZU and the members of the V4 Biochar Platform, whose support and cooperation were crucial for achieving this success. I personally see the Czech University of Life Sciences as a center of top-notch basic research, which also enables the connection of basic and applied outputs at the highest level. This award, associated with an applied output in the form of a European patent, would never have come about without previous basic research. "A big thank you also goes to the entire Faculty of Environmental Sciences for creating very above-standard conditions and providing top-notch modern facilities, which significantly facilitates the work for me and my fellow researchers," said Doc. Trakal after the award ceremony.
"The prestigious Czech Head Award is not only a recognition of the exceptional work of Associate Professor Lukáš Trakal but also a confirmation that science at the Czech University of Life Sciences brings concrete solutions to current challenges. I believe this award will be an inspiration not only for the next generation of researchers," said CZU Rector Petr Sklenička. The laureate's research activities in the last 10 years have significantly contributed to understanding the interactions between biochar and the environment. Although he primarily focuses on the physicochemical properties of biochar and its effectiveness in subsequent applications, he mainly emphasizes the actual use of biochar and the possibilities of its application in practice to protect the environment. In 2020, he initiated the creation of the V4 Biochar Platform (https://v4biochar.czu.cz/cs), enabling further research development and biochar use throughout the Central European region.
The nomination for the award also includes a European patent application that goes beyond existing plant nutrition technologies. It is a cultivation medium in the form of granules, pellets, growing mats, flower pots, or boxes containing biochar, plant fibers, organic fertilizers, mycorrhizal fungi, and other beneficial microorganisms. This measure increases the efficiency of cultivation, soil regeneration, and plant health while reducing the use of mineral fertilizers and plastics and reducing the carbon footprint overall.
We heartily congratulate our colleague on his significant life achievement!
Author: Tom Jůnek, Ph.D.
