Professional Documents
Culture Documents
7
Improving Tree Cover
it. There are numerous historical exam- Gwembe District, Zambia - How the
ples of past civilizations that disappeared degradation of nature results in difficulties
because they did not manage their natural for cultivators.
resources well, such as The Mayans, the The Munyumbwe area of the Gwembe
people of Easter Island, or the Viking set- District was flooded for several weeks in
tlers on Greenland. 2003 due to heavy rains. Cars and trucks
could not cross the river for two weeks.
The plants and trees are the basis for nearly Such rains come about every ten years.
all other forms of life, and it is therefore But this year the problem was much worse
essential to preserve a healthy and diverse because of the reduction of vegetation on
vegetation. the hillsides. People are now clearing new
The greater the number of species living on fields and cutting down for use as charcoal
earth, the more stable the global environ- and firewood. When there are fewer trees,
ment is. This means that natural systems are more water flows off the hills instead of
better able to survive the global environ- entering the soil. Much of the fertile soil is
mental changes that occur regularly. And carried with this rainwater and ends up in
we need these natural systems in order to the river beds. Because the riverbeds are
purify the earth’s water and air. As natural filled with the eroded material, there is less
environments are degraded, the water pu- space for the water and the low-lying areas
rification cycle is destroyed and topsoil that are easily flooded. This is precisely what
has been built up over centuries is eroded happened in 2003. Not only were the crops
and washed out to sea. Climate change destroyed by the water, but the floods also
makes the maintenance and restoration of deposited a large layer of sand on the fields.
a healthy envi- The farmers thus have lost their fertile soil
ronment even and have infertile sand instead.
more urgent. We do not have statistics from the area
but some people told us that the problem
People also has become worse over the years. This is
benefit directly a good example of why it is important to
from the exist- protect the environment.
ence of many Bana River System in Rajasthan, India,
species. Many experienced the same problem many years
of the profits ago. However people started planting trees
gained from and creating systems to stop the water
tourism are from running off. Twenty years later the
Defor- intimately linked to nature and wildlife. water is running again in the streams and
ested river Over one half of the prescription drugs the valleys have become green again. It is
bank-the from the USA have their origin in plant possible to restore degraded natural areas
result was life yet only a fraction of existing plants and re-establish the balances, which are so
loss of ag- have been researched for their medicinal important for all life.
ricultural properties. So there are many reasons to
area due preserve the nature around us. Below are
to erosion some examples.
48 - Tree Cover - Nature Preservation 127
ers, streams and lakes. In some places it is tem. Dig carefully around these seedlings
enough to protect the area against fire and and make sure that you dig much of the soil
grazing. The vegetation will grow back on up as well. In this way it is often possible
its own because of seeds in the soil or new to move the seedlings to a new place. If all
shoots coming from existing roots. In other the soil falls from the roots they will often
places you will need to actively replant some die. The best time to find these seedlings is
of the trees which have been cut. Take this halfway into the rainy season, and this will
chance to learn about these trees by talking also be the best time to move them. You
to the experienced elders in the area. They should plant the seedlings in the same kind
can tell you which trees used to be there of area as you found them.
and where to find them today. If you can’t find any seedlings of the tree you
want, then maybe you can find the seeds and
grow your own seedlings. The seeds must
be collected during the dry season when
they are ripe. This is when the fruit opens
so that the seeds can fall out, or when birds
and other animals are eating the fruit. It is
usually best to let the seeds dry and then
let them soak in warm water overnight. The
next day you can plant them in small con-
tainers such as small plastic bags or plastic
bottles cut in half. It is best if you can mix
some old manure or compost in the soil
some time before planting the seeds.
Often the areas close to flowing water are
sloping, which means they are more prone
to erosion. This is why it is so important to
maintain a good cover of vegetation. When
a large part of the plant cover has been
damaged, it is necessary to stop the rain-
water from running down the hills, because
it removes nutrients and fertile topsoil.
This can be done mechanically by making
terraces with stones, soil and branches. It
can also be made by planting grasses like
the vetiver grass along the contour lines
of the slope (lines at the same level). This
will stop much of the water and cause it to
sink into the soil.
You should choose a wet area where it is
Sign with When you have agreed which trees should easy to establish a vetiver nursery. Here
rules in a be planted, you must look for seedlings the grasses will multiply and produce new
protected of this kind of tree. Seedlings are the very shoots for you to plant where it is neces-
area of young plants which are growing from the sary to stop soil erosion. (See section 23
Zambia seeds and do not yet have a large root sys- for more information about vetiver.)
48 - Tree Cover - Nature Preservation 129
Restoring vegetation
• Make holes in the ground and fill them
up with soil and compost.
• Find seedlings of the trees during the
rainy season. Semi-
• Transplant the seedlings and make sure circular
you get plenty of soil along with the ridges of
roots. soil help
• Find seeds and grow your own seed- to collect
lings. water in
• Plant them in the holes and cover the the holes
roots, but make sure you leave the where
surface lower than the ground level so trees are
that water is absorbed. planted
130 40 Green World Actions
50 • Agroforestry
Systems
Environmental advantages of
trees
Trees:
• improve the
local climate
(micro-climate),
by forming a A well-
barrier against covered
wind, regulating nursery
the temperature
and increasing
humidity levels,
• protect the
Mounds soil against erosion caused by wind and
and cover- water, while at the same time improving
ing to the absorption of water into the soil,
preserve • support nearby crops indirectly by Incorrect
the soil’s influencing the micro-climate and the planting
humidity soil, and directly by supplying shade and - with air
shelter or protection, and by bringing pockets or
up nutrients from deeper soil layers, bent roots
Advan- • diversify the landscape and enrich the
tages of environment - where would the birds
trees make nests if there were no trees?
A tree
pruned so
that peo-
ple - but
not goats -
can reach
the leaves
50 - Tree Cover - Agroforestry Systems 133