Tree Plantation and Trenches

Tree Plantation and Contour Trenching
How Sheet Erosion Becomes Proper Soil

In the village of Ralegan Shindi, the soil was improper due to the land, causing sheet erosion (nothing was able to grow). Sheet Erosion is when a thin layer of top soil is lost during rain. With the help of trenches, soil erosion was controlled as the trenches started restricting the flow of water entering the soil. Tree plantation was now possible and other agriculture was able to grow, with the soil being more efficient.

Trenches

The Trenches are constructed in a way that obstructs the water flow as it is coming through the soil, which in turn limits the rate at which water is entering the soil. This obstruction allows water to come through the soil, but not too much water, which in turn would cause erosion.Water stored in the trench for a few days and recharge in the soil will be helpful to the trees.In Ralegan Shindi trenching is done on land belonging to the government and on the lands of the farmers who are having big land holdings

Once the soil is proper, villagers can develop the area, and trees can be planted along the trenches (down stream side).

The Process

  1.  Mark contours on the slopes.
  2.  Mark trenches along the contours.  
  3. Trenches can be dug along the contours. Width, length and depth can be decided depending upon depth of soil at that place. Spacing of trench row will depend upon slope of land. As slope increases distance bet two rows will be less and vice versa. 


Benefits

  • Soil along the hill slope is protected from erosion due to flowing water. The work of soil conservation is done without any special hi-tech technique. 
  •  Huge biomass is generated which can be used for cattle as fodder, can be used as an organic manure.
  •  As flowing water is obstructed, rate of infiltration is increased. In Ralegan Shindi rate of run-off water is decreased, which means there is infiltration of water into the ground. This also can be seen as water levels of wells are increased.
  •  Income level from waste land increased. 


Protection of the area with social fencing helps in natural regeneration of the local grass and trees. Social  Fencing is to be conducted before any development of land, is to be done.