Slide 1

Training on Roads for Water and Resilience

Slide 2

ROAD SIDE PLANTING

Slide 3

Benefits of road side planting (1) 1. Reduced soil erosion: holds soils in place 2. Remove dust and other pollutants from the air, protecting crops and road-side communities 3. Wind break 4. Flood control: slow and absorb road run-off

Slide 4

Benefits of road side planting (2) 5. Improved water quality by vegetations ability to trap sediment and increase water infiltration 6. Increasing road stability: vegetation helps to lower local water tables that may affect the road formation and pavement 7. Safety: reinforcing road alignment, serving as crash barriers, protecting view planes and reducing wind speeds 8. Carbon dioxide sequestration

Slide 5

Benefits of road side planting (3) 9. Defence against invasive weeks 10. Provide important pollinator habitat (honey production!) 11. Provide shade and keep the road cool for road users

Slide 6

What can be the problems derived from this road?

Slide 7

Slide 8

Retaining fine dust by roadside vegetation Dust is affecting the health of people living along the road and crop productivity. Identified as a top three problem from unpaved roads

Slide 9

Wind speed and turbulence

Slide 10

Case study Vaassen (The Netherlands)

Slide 11

Porosity (1) A porosity of 35-50% is optimal in terms of influencing turbulence above: closed element (eg noise barrier or a dense hedge. middle: porous element (eg half open hedge or row of trees with undergrowth.) below: incomplete element (eg line of trees without undergrowth)

Slide 12

Porosity (2)

Slide 13

Height & width To acomplish a good degree of porosity elements should be approximately 5-20 meters wide consisting of tall trees with a bush layer underneath.

Slide 14

Interception of fine dust Good conditions to intercept dust: 1. An irregular structure of the vegetation 2. Micro relief leafage 3. Pointed shape such as needles 4. Sticky, rough and hairy characteristics of leafs

Slide 15

Planning steps 1. 1. Analyze the situation with respect to social, economic and ecological aspects of roadside planting: ownership, proximity to villages and farmland, availability of water resources 2. 2. To assess the vegetation and biophysical conditions 3. 3. To map out strategies for effective planning and implementation 4. 4. Develop a good management system

Slide 16

Assessing biophysical factors Climate data Water resources available Soil physical and chemical properties Major stress factors with respect to survival of planted seedlings: drought, salinity, herbivores (domestic, wild animals), wind, fire, insect and diseases, human physical damage (theft) Local knowledge on improving planted seedlings survival and tree management Local people species selection criteria

Slide 17

Importance of biophysical conditions Species-site matching significantly determines the success of planting Rainfall and temperature: length of the dry season determines the suitability of a site for roadside planting Altitude Vegetation: observe indigenous trees

Slide 18

Stakeholder consultation Increase participation Disseminate information Understand the attitude of the community towards roadside planting Collect data and information on community characteristics and identify community concerns: issue of dust on feeder roads, erosion Understand private and public ownership of land including ownership by road authorities

Slide 19

Why were these trees lopped?

Slide 20

Criteria for selection of trees Tree species shall preferably be: unpalatable evergreen or remain green over most of the year shall have a crown architecture with more horizontal than vertical extension tolerant of seasonal drought and insect and pest harms deep rooted to resist wind power shall not be invasive fast growing shall have one or more of social and economic values such as medicinal, food, fuel wood, feed, shade, etc

Slide 21

Local people species selection criteria Native plants are best suited to the local conditions, require less maintenance and persist longer than non-local species Picture: Euclea racemosa

Slide 22

Some useful trees and shrubs for roadside planting Ziziphus spina christi Spiny shrub Very good for high quality honey production Firewood, charcoal, timber

Slide 23

Grevillea robusta Firewood, charcoal, timber (furniture), poles, fodder (leaves), bee forage, shade, ornamental, soil conservation, windbreak. Tree grows well with food crops if managed to reduce shade. Some useful trees and shrubs for roadside planting

Slide 24

Justicia schimperiana Leafy shrub up to 4 m Firewood, live fence Evergreen Some useful trees and shrubs for roadside planting

Slide 25

Schinus molle Evergreen tree Firewood, charcoal, bee forage, shade, soil conservation, windbreak. Some useful trees and shrubs for roadside planting

Slide 26

Casuarina equisetifolia A tree up to 20 m. Firewood, charcoal, timber (construction), poles, fodder (young leaves), shade, mulch, soil conservation, soil improvement, nitrogen fixation, windbreak. Some useful trees and shrubs for roadside planting

Slide 27

Criteria for identifying planting sites (1) Planting sites shall be at reasonable distance from farmlands as well as from the edge of the road Sites shall have good access to water sources Sites with established animal paths shall not be considered Sites with nearby households engaged in farming or other activities shall be priorities

Slide 28

Criteria for identifying planting sites (2) Sites shall have access to nursery Sites shall be close to an agriculture office Sites shall not be severely degraded Sites shall have a community with positive attitude to trees and other vegetation Take into account the effect of the shade on crops (direction of the sun) when deciding location

Slide 29

Implementation phase Nursery Healthy and vigorous seedlings are key for tree planting success Lack of quality seeds of some species is one of the bottlenecks in the nursery management Regular follow up of the nursery operations will ensure production of quality seedling that fit to the present objectives

Slide 30

Implementation phase Site preparation 1. Eliminate weeds: Competition from the roots of other plants growing in the area slows the reestablishment of newly planted tress roots. 2. Improve the soil: the soil must be loose enough (have adequate pore space) for roots to penetrate and to provide an ample supply of water and oxygen 3. Pre-prepare the planting holes

Slide 31

Implementation phase Planting and tending Site preparation by digging of planting holes. Most commonly, tree planting is conducted during the wet season Fencing around seedlings to protect from herbivores

Slide 32

Maintenance (1) The most important element in planting survival Do not establish a planting until the necessary resources for maintenance have been arranged Developing mechanisms that enhance the economical return of tree plantation to ensure maintenance Prevent livestock physical contacts with the seedlings and dry season watering are vital

Slide 33

Maintenance (2) Key elements Water: Trees and shrubs should be watered thoroughly at the time of planting and several times during the early establishment phase Pruning: It is important to develop well-spaced structural branches early in the life of a tree. Mulch: helps hold moisture in the soil and suppresses weed germination. Waterpads: absorb water and nutrients and provide everything what plants need. 7 grams of polymers absorb 1 liter of water

Slide 34

Management interventions Develop a viable management arrangement Examples: 1. Pay tree keepers a small amount on money for the surviving seedlings after one year (India) 2. Bank providing loans to tree keepers for six to eight years (tree maturity period) after this, tree is sold with 50% of returns for the bank (Uganda) 3. People in nearby cities wanting to save money for the long term give trees in custody to rural tree keepers, when the tree is mature the benefits are shared (Indonesia)

Slide 35

Key factors for success: 1. Awareness creation For roadside planting to succeed, it is vital to create awareness on actual benefits of tree planting among roadside communities Provide more time and resources for community mobilization and awareness creation works than actual project implementation activities (tree planting)

Slide 36

Key factors for success: 2. Participation Encourage full participation in project implementation by national, district and local authorities and communities Consultation: selection of tree species together with roadside communities and local experts Include minority groups and women

Slide 37

Opportunities in Ethiopia Tree planting is in line with on-going watershed activities Local population across road stretches is feeling the pressures of deforestation and land degradation Dust is a major health and farm productivity issue along the fast expanding network of feeder road Tree planting is an opportunity for employment

Slide 38

Supported by: Developed by: