SUMMARY: Noemi reports on the ‘Reforestation for Erosion Control in Bolivia’ project, which is funded by the Tools for Life Foundation: ‘We have started the initial work on reforestation on the hillside above Combuyo!”
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Noemi reports on the ‘Reforestation for Erosion Control in Bolivia’ project, which is funded by the Tools for Life Foundation: ‘We have started the initial work on reforestation on the hillside above Combuyo, as it is currently the winter holidays in Bolivia. During this time, young people from the rural region of Tapacari regularly come to Mollesnejta to work as day labourers.
Sowing trees is more beneficial than planting them (particularly in arid regions), because the root system is not disturbed in the process. This is important in light of the predicted Super El Niño
Survival chances of the saplings
The following work has been/is currently being carried out on the site:
– On the area to be reforested, all grasses, herbs and thistles are cut with sickles and machetes and left on the ground as mulch. Existing shrubs (Dodonaea viscosa, Baccharis ssp.) are being left in place so that, during the rainy season, the young saplings can be planted beneath them in such a way that they are shaded during the subsequent dry season. Figure 2 shows that the cleared area runs slightly higher up the slope along the western sides of the ravines, whilst it is narrower on the slope ridges (marked in red). The reason for this is that the slope ridges are exposed to the sun all day long, which is why the saplings’ chances of survival there are lower than on the western side of the ravines.
Planting a green, moist wall
On the western side of the entire area, we have begun planting Opuntia ficus-indica very densely (planting usually takes place during the dry season) so that, over time, they form a green, moist barrier to hold back potential fires, which are usually driven by the westerly wind.
Seeds of native trees
We are continuing to collect seeds from the native trees in Mollesnejta, with a view to sowing them on the hillside during the coming rainy season. The parent trees of these seeds are adapted to dry periods through epigenetic mechanisms. As well as planting saplings, we also plan to sow tree seeds, as it has now been proven that sowing trees is more beneficial than planting them (particularly in arid regions), because the root system is not disturbed in the process. This is important in light of the predicted Super El Niño.
Many thanks to Noemi Stadler-Kaulich and the Tools for Life Foundation!