Less Water … Better Soils … Healthier Plants April 15, 2016 Anita L. Mills

Water Is Life Water supports life on this planet. Water is a limited resource. Water is becoming more finite as we draw down water from ancient aquifers.

Water on Earth Water Source% of Total Water Oceans97.2 Inland seas, saline lakes.008 Freshwater lakes.009 All Rivers.0001 Antarctic icecap1.9 Arctic icecap/glaciers.21 Atmosphere.001 Ground Water < ½ mi deep.31 Ground Water > ½ mi deep.31 Ref: Dept of Interior, Geological Survey

Our Water Goals Slow down water drainage Allow water to soak into soil Capture water – Plant it, use it and then let it go to the aquifer

Soil Loss The World Wildlife Fund reports that land degradation amounts to about 30 % of the total global land area, with a reported loss rate of about 10 million hectares per year. Hectare = 10,000 square meters: equivalent to acres Degradation = 24,710,000 acres/year

Erosion Losses National Resources Conservation Service of USDA: The productivity of some lands has declined by 50% due to soil erosion and desertification.

Soil Goals Stop erosion of soils Hold water Provide drainage Increase fertility for plant life

Soil Holds Water

A Plant Needs SOIL gives a plant someplace to live. Good soil also gives a plant food. WATER is carried by the roots into the plant. The water travels up the stem and into the leaves and creates “pressure” so that the plant is strong. SUNLIGHT – the plant takes energy from the sunlight to produce food (through photosynthesis). AIR – the plant needs air, but it uses carbon dioxide (what we breathe out) to make its food. It gives out oxygen (that we breathe in).

Some Scalable Models African keyhole garden Eastern European Hugelkultur Amazonian Terra Preta

African Keyhole Garden Developed last century in dry land Africa and used by Send a Cow and Catholic Relief Charities working around the world Provides maximum food production, minimal space and minimal water needs Requires less labor to maintain Essentially a compost pile enclosed in a round raised bed

African Keyhole

Dallas Keyholes

What Goes Into a Keyhole?

Hugelkultur Mimics the forest floor First wood – logs, branches, sticks Then leaves or straw Then compost Then soil Wood rots and holds water Rotting wood provides habitat for micro- organisms

Traditional Hugelkultur

Home Hugelkultur

Container Hugelkultur

Container (cont.)

Terra Preta “Black earth” from the Amazon basin, but found also in Peru and Ecuador Maintains fertility over decades, possibly centuries Depth of up to 2-3 meters Charcoal is a key ingredient to this soil Charcoal breaks up soil as well as providing habitat (pores) for micro-organisms and holds water

BioChar BioChar is now the modern attempt to replicate some of the attributes of Terra Preta BioChar is wood that is burned without air, so that it is blackened, burned, but not ashes One urban farmer then breaks it up and mixes it with compost to add to his vegetable beds

Common Thread Soil Organic Matter - Provides food and habitat for soil life Soil Organic Matter – Holds water for plants Soil Organic Matter – Breaks up tight soils Soil Organic Matter – Provides drainage, letting plant roots breathe Soil Organic Matter - Stabilizes soils to minimize erosion

The Message INCREASE SOIL ORGANIC MATTER Large scale, Small scale, it doesn’t matter We can each do our part To Use Less Water Have Better Soils Grow Healthier Plants

Thank you! Anita Mills