Land Management/Sustainable Practices

[BLEmom]

I’ve mentioned before that I have enjoyed learning about reversing desertification through various videos and documentaries.  I know there are a few others that may find it interesting as well, especially anyone from an arid climate.  I thought it might be nice to have a place we can put together all the different ideas on how to work with land in a way that is sustainable.  If you’ve seen ideas or want to discuss, feel free to add!

In another thread we’ve discussed the age of rocks….let’s put all the old rocks to good use! 😉

https://www.treehugger.com/how-reverse-desertification-rocks-4853795

Rock stacking along water pathways slows down the water allowing silt and organic matter to gather. This in turn allows more water to absorb into the ground.  This can take years to do. Once you have organic matter and water absorbing, you plant grasses.

This is a nice video on how that’s been done. 

 

[BLEmom]

Here’s a nice video of restoring desert in Nevada. 

 

once you get beavers you are good!

[BLEmom]

Montana.   I like that they show the small project along with the larger one. Also sounds like the beaver needs to be reintroduced to the area. 

 

[BLEmom]

There’s a man working the theory that grazing animals help prepare the soil to accept rain. Sadly, in Africa, when the thought was that grazing animals caused desertification, they killed over 40,000 elephants to “help” the land. Of course it backfired. 
 

https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2022/03/07/reversing-the-desert-healing-land-protecting-water/

[-Chris-]

1 hour ago, BLEmom said:

There’s a man working the theory that grazing animals help prepare the soil to accept rain. Sadly, in Africa, when the thought was that grazing animals caused desertification, they killed over 40,000 elephants to “help” the land. Of course it backfired. 
 

https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2022/03/07/reversing-the-desert-healing-land-protecting-water/

I’ve heard about that and I though it was in a program that also highlighted the roles predators play in changing the behavior of prey animals, including an example right here in Northern Nevada not too far from the Dixie Creek example you posted. Unfortunately I can’t find the program online, perhaps it is in the PBS archives somewhere. 

 

I’ve got a feeling we’ll be learning quite a few ways we were ‘doing it wrong’ and we’ll come to a much better understanding of how these systems work together instead of trying to bend nature to our will.

[BLEmom]

Fog nets in the Sahara.