Habitat restoration and protection

The commercial timber plantation, poplars, eucalyptus or conifer species are biological deserts. It is true that the watershed is protected so far as soil erosion and rates of runoff but there are many other services to the ecosystem that should be considered.

In contrast to the sterile plantation look at a natural forest. In this case here is a moist mixed deciduous forest of the Pacific Northwest, Washington State. 

Yet how do we go about to restore this diversity and ecological function in an urbanized or agricultural production area along a riparian corridor. 


Here is how I go about this:

Find a natural habitat near your community that is more or less undisturbed.  

Make a listing of the plants that occur there naturally and learn how ecological succession and habitat specialization, such as soil type, is related to the species nature has allowed to succeed in this place. 

For example: Here is a stream habitat in high elevation, Utah State that is much different from the moist forest of the Pacific Northwest.


Notice the distinct differences in vegetation types of the upland natural conifer forest and the riparian corridor. Also look at the natural sampling of species in this stream-side mix.

Try to emulate a local natural place in your restoration project. 


Select appropriate plants for each particular site (each plant has its unique requirements and most sites have a variety of conditions). While there's not usually a problem with occasional use of exotic plants, native plants have evolved to local conditions over millions of years and form an integral part in the life cycles of the local wildlife; they also give an area its unique sense of place.


Even with a widely distributed species local seed sources assure a better adapted plant 

Here is a completed riparian restoration project in Western Washington State: 


What was once a reed canary grass choked watercourse is now functional habitat for natural fishes and wildlife

In biological terms, a community is a group of interacting organisms sharing an environment. We the humans are also a part of this community. Recognition of ecosystem services returns to us tangible economic and aesthetic benefits

Closed Loop versus Open System

Closed systems like this seem capitol intensive and finicky, needing full time tinkering and are subject to unexplained perturbations . Our idea of  Typha and Scirpus as biological water treatment seem to be a more logical approach in warm climates at least. 

The only issue to consider with domestic sewage plant water is concentration of heavy metals and pharmaceuticals by food species. However putting the food production on the downstream side of the biological treatment may mitigate for this problem. We need to look into this angle, and any pilot program could include monitoring and testing of protein production and quality of fish, shellfish and mussels grown.  

There is also nutrient rich waters of rivers downstream from urban/agricultural districts. In the district Ben and i are studying these places have huge potential for biological water treatment on regional scale. 

An aquaculture system in a subtropical or temperate water cleanup system should be vegetarian, detritis feeders or filter feeders. Not carnivores like trout or salmonids. However creating rearing habitat for an anadromous species (ie a fish that migrates to Ocean)  like the salmon could use enhanced habit for juvenile rearing and overwintering before migration then return 2 to 4 years later. 

From August 28, 2008  Scientific American

Angling for a better way to grow fish and vegetables too.

Images

'Growing food crops at Cabbage Hill takes place in long, shallow tubs on the south side of the greenhouse, which are filled with newly nutritious water from the bioreactor. On so-called rafts (repurposed polystyrene insulation panels) floating in the tubs, basil, bok choy and lettuce plants grow hydroponically—that is, without soil—their bare roots dangling through holes in the rafts to draw nutrients directly from the water below.

Stripped of its nitrate, the water is ready for return to the fish tanks, having essentially been filtered by the roots of fast-growing, edible, high-value plants.'

or-------

Stripped of its nitrates the waters of the Parana river are returned to the natural drainage system from which they were lifted with biomass powered harmonic pumps, upstream,  a weeks earlier. Biofuels and fiber products are harvested from the enhanced wetland treatment system and in return these waters provide improved ecosystem services that allow marine harvest of anadromous salmon in offshore waters. 


Visioning

Productivity and Diversity

In a detritis driven ecosystem this is where it all starts. The natural products of photosynthesis of native plants living in the wetlands of the Skagit River Delta, seeds and plant debris.... These seeds shown above are a part of a predictable pattern of nature offering to migratory wildfowl. The plant is a common component of the local flora, Carex lyngbyei. Oh the gifts to us of this plant, beginning with the sweet odor to the air that perfumes this sedge meadow. Yet within literally hundreds of yards is the intercontinental arterial of the interstate highway system, I-5. 


We should call this place A - 5 because here we have natural and wild habitat maintained in nature by the cycles of ebb and flow of the seasons, the tides and predictable patterns of disturbance. Animals in transit here following their life cycles, the aquatic insects, the fish , the mammals representing the countless critters growing out of the humble productivity of these plant inhabitants. 


I am in unsupressed awe viewing what is happening in this place and how natural systems continue to dominate. When pioneer settlers arrived at the delta the outlet was plugged with log jams and the channels could not be detected. Dynamite and dredging opened the channels making passage for steam driven craft to serve communities that sprung up along the river banks. there were no roads, much less trail that penetrated the dense forest of the pacific northwest. To present day the old river bank communities thrive but no longer needing the river for transportation but now for tapping water and waste disposal. Mount Vernon, to Rockport and Marblemount similar sets of communities along the Nooksack River, the Skykomish and Snohomish Rivers and others in the Puget Sound basin.


Yet also the riparian habitats are disappearing, waters are nutrient polluted, people are appearing everywhere and this Skagit delta habitat continues to purify and sustain us and the natural inhabitants.

Food, Fiber and Ethnobotany

Thank you Christophe Meneboeuf for this wonderful image of Bulrush harvest on Lake Titicaca. 


This is a current day image of Uros people an indigenous people predating the Incas. Image taken in 2005, of a practice, rooted so to speak with people whose history is linked to evidence for populating polynesia from South America. Their boats for transpacific voyages were made from living giant bulrush, Scirpus californicus a plant with many uses for food and fiber.


What can I say about the biology of the plant shown in this picture

This week, late August I am collecting seed of Scirpus acutis. It is a tricky plant to gather seeds as soon as they ripen they fall out of the heads. When picking seed I am pulling these fruit clusters from over my head and I am sprinkled with seed. End of day I am brushing the flat, hard black seeds out of hair and arms like lice. 


When finished fruiting the deep green plants immediately become senescent and change color. The bulrush patch starts looking as if a frost had hit but just a rapid decline to preserve the starch content in the roots. These rhizomes and their starch content were important food source for  original people. What is nice about this plant is how the rhizomes grow very shallow. Perhaps this is adaptation to boggy soils where oxygen is limited due to the nutrient rich and reducing environment. When I grow this plant at our native plant nursery, on sandy loam soil,even in second year without irrigation the roots remain shallow. This is an easy plant to harvest for food, especially during dry season at end of growth period. 


Other uses for this plant is as a source of fiber for mats, roofing and floating residence,  Even duck decoys.
More from Norm Kidders article linked above curing the collection and working with tules. 


'WORKING WITH TULES


Cut tules anytime after they have reached full height. They will tend to get firmer from late summer into fall. They can be cut in the fall until wind and rain have broken and dried them. The feel of the stem is the real determining factor. Be careful when cutting to keep the tules neatly stacked in the same direction so they don't bend or break. I tie them into bundles about 8 inches thick at the base with cords near each end and one in the middle. Always carry the bundles with the butt ends forward to avoid breakage.
Once cut, the stems must dried before use. Depending on when they are cut, they may shrink up to 50% in diameter as they dry. When they are uniformly light green they are just dry enough, although yellow or tan is better. While drying, be sure to allow for good ventilation, and don't stack the tules too thickly, or mold and mildew will result. I prefer to dry tules in the shade. It takes longer, but they acquire a leathery texture. Drying in the sun is quicker (few days instead of a few weeks), but the stems end up more crisp and brittle.

TWINING
Twining is easily confused with weaving, but differs in a fundamental way. Weaving involves a single strand passing in and out between the standing stock or ribs. Twining involves two (or three) strands which pass around the ribs in sequence, while intertwining around each other. This results in a 'locked' stitch compared to weaving's looser wrapping. Twining done without ribs (twisting) results in a two (or three) ply rope.

TWISTING
Twisting is used to turn fibers into string, or in this case using whole or split tules to make tule rope. To begin, grasp a bundle of at least two tules at each end and twist them between your fingers until the tules begin to 'kink' back on themselves. Move your hands closer together as the tule strands are twisted, and the kink begins to twist into a 2-ply strand. Attach the end to something (your teeth?), and now, as you twist clockwise, pass the strand over each other counterclockwise, switching hands. Repeat this endlessly, adding in new tules (fat end first) into each side as needed (See the "Bulletin of Primitive Technology" #2 for a complete description of the string making process).

TULE MATS AND SUCH
To twine tules into mats or other items, begin as you would for rope, twisting together three or tour inches of single ply cord. Instead of twisting the plys together, place the twisted section around a small bunch of tules with each twist. You should have the tules laid out roughly. Pass the strand which lies on top of the first bunch over the strand which comes up from beneath, and then this strand passes beneath the second bunch of tules and then comes back out to the working face. Repeat this - over, behind and out - until you have completed a row. Add in additional pieces of tule as needed to maintain the thickness of the strand. As the row progresses, each 'stitch' should slant at the same angle across the face of the project At the end of a row, twine the tule strands into rope until it is long enough to reach the next spot you want a row to begin, then turn and twine the row. Continue this process until you have finished. End the last row with a knot, then tuck the ends back into the work.'


To the modern day
Making paper from bulrush is also an ancient craft. To this day specialty papers are sold for special and decorative purposes. Surfing the net I have seen bulrush wallpaper objects of art and yes below bulrush sandals made  with 60% Bulrush,30% PVC 5% poly fabric and 5%bead, offered by a chinese manufacturer.

Growing Cattails

The seedbeds are especially lush this year. Favorable weather including rain just when we needed in mid-August has been a wonderful boost to all of our plantings. After 2 rain episodes we are now expecting more next week. Here is a look at growth in our emergent species plantings, as of August 21.

In the background of this image is our cattail row. Here we can see growth achieved  typical if this crop in a good year. This is a close view of this production row taken same day.

Hmmm, not bad considering this image was                                             taken of the same seedbed on June 17  
Not every year is growth and seedling survival as nice as this. This year however is interesting because by some 'accidents' of our production cycle we have a row with typical good crop year production and another showing dieback or a self thinning process that happens some seasons. This year we realize this condition is linked to timing of application of fertilizer, proving that this aquatic plant, growing in a strange place for the species in drip irrigated sandy loan really depends on available nitrogen and not only that with strategically in the growing cycle to the point that later growth is inhibited even with supplements.I mention this because of the temptation to use our specialized propagation method as a cookie cutter formula to accomplish whatever else we might want to accomplish. A new application in different soil, climate zone and purpose may very well need to be designed with a clean piece of paper.

Here is another species, Scirpus acutus, or bulrush,  growing in the same field. Here too is a species adapted to rapid utilization of available nitrogen and the rapid accumulation of biomass. Image also taken on August 21, and the seedbed planted early June Hmmm And this leads to another posting about the giant bulrush of South America

Flood irrigation and Fischer Tropsch

Willow, cattail and bulrush are candidates for biomass energy production, all with high productivity

potential. Here is a discussion taken from gas to fuels reading list - where the participants are revealing a technology to gasify the raw product and produce liquid fuel.  

The Fisher- Tropsch process. 

clipped from  gas_to_fuels@yahoogroups.com  as follows:

The Catalyst is probably the easiest problem to solve. Here are some of the technical issues to be addressed                           J It is if it's the last thing needed. I have 3 designs to follow but think I have figured out another better fluidized bed version. 1. Compression of gases to 25 to 30 bar (370 psi to 450 psi). You need to use high pressures to improve the yields and speed up the reaction. This requires a compressor pump capable of high pressures and is not effected by the gases (hydrogen, CO, CO2, NOx, etc) Have you found a compressor that can meet this criteria?                  J   I'll accept the slower reactions though I think I can do well with the FBR and 5psi or so, just enough to make the system work, at least to start. I want to keep it simple if possible.                   Just what can I expect by dropping the pressure to 1.5bar? You'll also need to use a vertical column that can handle the high pressure with multiple output values at different heights to extract different hydrocarbons (ie Fractional distilling). This isn't too difficult. I thought about using a large diameter SS pipe with SS Conflat flanges, and high pressure SS needle values                               J  I was planning a batch bottom extractor with each coming out in order as the pressure reduces. I assume this is what some use though most are like you say. 2. Unspent gas recycling. Not all of the Hydrogen and CO will be consumed in the first pass. Ideally you want to convert virtually all of the free Hydrogen and CO into hydrocarbons. Plus you need to recycle hydrocarbon gases like methane and butane assuming that you wish to produce mostly liquid hydrocarbons. While methane and butane are desirable products, ideally it would be better to produce them seperately by modifing the FT reactor parameters to optimize production of methane or other hydrocarbon gases.                I'll find out what by experimenting. I plan 20 runs for a given gas to get the most yield.                 On some units, methane would be the main product fed into NG pipelines. Any good ways to get just methane besides just turning up the heat to 550-600F or so? You also need to fit your FT reactor with a catalytic converter to eliminate any poisons (mosting CO) before you release expelled gases back into the atmosphere.                            J  I won't be releasing any, instead use them, others to run the system or make electricity. I'll also use the process waste heat to make electricity. 3. Producing Clean SynGas that contains very little Nitrogen. This means using near pure Oxygen. I have done some research into a possible solution using Zeolites to seperate Nitrogen from Oxygen, using a pressure swing process. You compress air into a contain containing Zeolites that either hold nitrogen or Oxygen. When you depressurize the tank, the gases will come out seperated. If the Zeolite holds Oxygen, Nitrogen will come out first, followed by Oxygen. Its dependant on the pressure. You'll need a setup that redirects the gas outflow by pressure so that you dump the nitrogen load, and use the Oxygen load. You will also need to remove any water from the air, before pumping in air into the zeolite tank.                    Or by destructive distillation with little N2 or O2.                    So that's how a swing pressure system works. I think that's what TECO uses in their Polk coal gasification cogen powerplant which could pump their exhaust directly underground being CO2 and water.                   But why? Since one needs neither to make HC's. I don't want alcohols. DD seems better for me, much less work.  Could even generate pressure with it if needed..                  I was planning on just heating it up to 1500F to break DD gas into Syn gas. Maybe with a catalyst.  Any lower temp suggestions? 4. You need to setup your catalyst in a stack so that you maximize contact of the gases with the catalyst. This would be a a serious of stacked blocks with small diameteter channels loaded with a catalyst so that the gases meander a much longer distance. This could either be a set of pressed steel plates or machined steel blocks. The Steel blocks\plates could also be oxidized to form a FeO3 catalyst on the surface, adding the conversion. the Stack should also make use of a gas diffuser to break up the gas bubbles into smaller ones to maximixe gas contact with the cataysts and light hydrocarbon products.                     It needs a lot of cooling so long 2"dia  tubes the Nazi's used, gas cooled injection into tubes or FBR with cooling tubes, ect. But lots of turbulence, cat surface area, mixing which is why I'm favoring FBR. 5. Gasifier Gas output measuring. You need sensors or detection equipment than can measure the output gases from your gasifier. Ideally too little water or the wrong termperture will result in excessive CO2 production or low Syngas yields, You need sensors to measure the output gases.and these sensors must be able to survive the conditions.                             J  By too little water you mean not enough for water gas reaction, ie too little H2?  I plan tight temp control  that seems to control which product output. 450-500F is what Fischer got the higher gasolines, butane, propane which I want. Higher temps he got Methane on some kind of iron catalyst in his 1927 experiments. 6. Using the Water Shift gas method to increase the H2 to CO ratio. Light hydrocarbons contain more hydrogen. Too little hydrogen will result in long chain olefins like waxes which is probably not your desired fuel. A Water gas shift reactor converts some of the CO into more hydrogen by reacting CO with steam (FYI: CO2 is also produced from the reaction).                J    I was planning on hitting the hot char with steam for that purpose. Turning water into gasoline sounds good to me.                      I've learned what I can from a Mark's Manual and the FT Archive papers, many of which I've read so please comment on the above as we really need a simple, eff method for small biomass converters. farmers, ect make fuels from waste biomass.                                                 Thanks,                                                           Jerry Dycus

Willow as Pulp, Paper crop

Here is a story I never realized was possible. The use of willow as a timber species for pulp and paper purposes. We are looking at agroforestry in the the delta of the Parana River system, located near Buenos Aires, Argentina


This part of Argentina supports the largest area of timber production from Salix in the world. We call this plant willow the local common name is sauce. Their primary purpose is supplying hardwood pulp for paper. Biomass energy potential is obvious. This is a very productive plant and represents hybridization and selection over many years.


Mature Grove of Timber Willow


I have never seen a willow grove like this. Close and possibly equal in production potential is our Salix scouleriana, selection 'Big Scouler'



Planting willow stakes in a new grove


Establishment


Prior to Thinning and harvest of propagation material ? Apparently 1 year field


Second Season grove


Note heavy stand of competitive grasses.

Flood Irrigation

Here is a farmers field in Ellensburg , Washington. This shows application of flood irrigation





This is a low pressure / high volume irrigation technology. I have observed its uses very commonly in this region. Fields do not necessarily do not need to be level, just to place the trunklines in strategic places. Water then moves across the field and collects in a drainage ditch.


For cattails and coppiced willows , low dikes could retain a water level for these aquatic and semiaquatic plants.


Another view of field






Here is a harvested field of grain

Charcoal and coppicing

A recent post by James Thomas on biochar list


He points out that selection of tree and shrub species adapted to coppicing can increase biodiversity.


James wrote
Reply re: Mesquite, prosopsis and Ron Larson comments

With the statement of desertification related to charcoal making and 
loss of Acacia related to goats eating the seeds, some questions come to 
mind. My question is: in the British Isles, Bodgers coppiced and made 
charcoal for many years and it created biodiversity, the coppice with 
standards forestry we have probably heard of, at least if you read my 
previous postings.

In my area, Black Locust trees /, Robinia pseudoacacia /will 
successfully coppice and regrow. However Siberian Pea Shrub,/ Caragana 
arborescens/ can successfully withstand some pruning , in fact it tends 
to thrive with proper pruning if performed during the dormant season; 
however, it appears much easier to kill the Pea Shrub/tree with 
excessive cutting or grazing. In my experience, all of my domestic 
grazing and browsing animals, goat, cow sheep horse, go crazy over 
Siberian Pea Shrub; both eating it and horning the bush. Usually it 
grows back, but often it dies from excessive vegetation damage and must 
be replanted. Fortunately it is a prolific producer of pea like seeds 
which sprout readily. I am wondering if it isn't so much the grazing , 
but the timing and degree of grazing that determines whether the 
tree/shrub survives. Therefore, I am wondering if the charcoal harvest 
contributing to desertification is because of the degree and frequency 
of harvesting? Similarly with the goats contributing to the loss of 
acacia, is it the degree and frequency of harvesting contributing to the 
loss of the trees? Admittedly, Ethiopia is not the cool, rain-drenched 
British Isles but more like what Alan Savory refers to as: "Brittle 
Environment". Still the concept of adequate rest for regrowth after 
harvest, whether coppicing for charcoal or grazing/browsing should apply.

As an example: in America it is my understanding that Osage Orange, 
/Maclura pomifera, /our most used living fence plant in times past, was 
successfully coppiced for fence posts, firewood, archery bows and other 
uses. After harvest, the unused, pruned, thorny limbs were piled over 
the cut stumps to protect them from animals until the new growth from 
the stump was well established. In this way a very dense living fence 
that was horse high, bull strong and hog tight was established.

I am of the opinion, as I have postulated before in this forum, that 
probably when using primitive tools, coppicing was a method used by the 
Brazilian Natives. I am very curious with regard to why the same methods 
do not seem to work in Ethiopia, but instead contribute to 
desertification. Excluding the Brittle environment effect, is it just 
because the demand for every scrap of potential fuel wood is so high 
that no limbs are left behind to protect stumps so regrowth can occur 
and the number of goats and charcoal makers is so high that insufficient 
opportunity for regrowth occurs?

A similarity to what is suggested in the Spanish language narrative I 
just struggled through in this posting about sustainable pasturing of 
cows in Argentina through rotational grazing occurs to me. (I understood 
the Spanish better than the English translation.) Could the 
desertification and loss of Acacia in Ethiopia be slowed or reversed by 
a change in management?

Specifically, some management suggestions might be: rotating goat 
browsing and charcoal harvest to occur only when the trees have regrown 
sufficiently to withstand another harvest without damage and to 
complement this with saving some of the charcoal for soil application. 
Perhaps leaving some of the cut limbs as protection for the stumps or 
figuring out some other means of protecting the stumps until the new 
growth is able to withstand browsing pressure from wild ungulates might 
also help.

I realize, however, that we are speaking about a mental paradigm shift 
from just thinking about survival for today to prosperity in the future 
as a result of practicing conservation. Making a society adopt such a 
mental paradigm shift is not easy to do anywhere in the world in my 
experience. I have been attempting to do so for ten years here in my 
work and have not been entirely successful, although the degree of 
conservation is improving.

I notice it seems quite common in the environmental community (present 
company excepted of course) to outright condemn such practices as 
cutting wood for charcoal production (Note the recent National 
Geographic article about protecting Gorillas wherein one may view the 
rather disturbing picture of an armed Ranger seemingly arresting a woman 
engaged in the charcoal trade within a park where gorillas were to be 
protected. It seems rather pathetic to me to depict a poor woman trying 
to survive as an evil destroyer of the environment because she is making 
and selling charcoal; even if it is in a park to protect gorillas.)

So what we may be up against is a world view that charcoal production in 
a tropic or even a temperate environment is environmentally destructive, 
but in contrast we in the group view "sustainable charcoal production" 
as desirable because of the hope it represents for: restoring exhausted 
soils, a response to peak oil, addressing climate change and halting 
water pollution that results in undesired eutrophication, stopping 
deforestation, and the list of benefits goes on.( If you have been on 
the Biochar list for any length of time you know the benefits so, I'll 
stop citing them here.)

The point of this narrative is that as we move forward in researching 
and advocating the use of biochar for soils that we not lose sight of, 
and in fact actively promote, all forms of sustainability, from managed 
grazing, to cropping, to charcoal harvesting via coppicing or 
pollarding, to using biogas, to sustainable aquaculture, to energy 
production from vegetable oils, but to the especially important concept, 
controlling soil erosion; without which we will all starve.
/jmt.

Catua - an isolated village in Argentina

Here is a link to the village and setting in english. 12,000 feet elevation on Chile border. In English


Below is a message from indigenous children in a residential school at this village. 


Hello, we are pupils of the school No. 57 of the town of Catuaba 
in the province of Salta.
We have created a blog with the aim of "reaching households in the
people from city to ask for help "in an easy, quick and massive.
Reaching across the country so that people can show solidarity
and help with the proceeds, thanks to our advertisements
sponsors, we can cover some of our needs:

- We need to buy more food, not enough with which sends
Government.
- It would be good to have new clothes.
- We have no gas, cook with firewood
- We have no light.
Our school-needed maintenance.
  
Join our blog and Learn how we can help ..!!!





link above translated to English

Growing Cattails

Cattails are a common, sometimes weedy aquatic plant often seen in roadside ditches. We have been growing cattail or Typha latifolia at our farm to supply demand for ecological restoration and for biological water treantment.

What is striking about this plant is the rate of growth. Shown above are plants as the were seeded in first week of June, 2008. Over 2 1/2 months these plants have grown to specimens that can easily be transplanted into projects from fall to following spring. Spring would be better since the soil will be warm and roots active. Otherwise visiting geese and ducks will have lunch.

Pollution control



Especially interesting here is the yellow stripe viewed in this cattail seed bed. Here is evidence these plants are especially nitrogen hungry, The stripe is adjacent to the drip tape and is caused by leaching of soluble nitrogen in our sandy loam soil. Two days earlier this bed was treated with Urea and this effect has already almost disappeared. Images above only give a impression of the rate of growth of these plants.

Think of the water purification potential that cattails offer. In addition the stems have sugar and rhizomes starch offering biomass energy potential, and with harvest not only are nitrates and phosphates removed but also are heavy metals and other contaminants.

See this article by Cristian Frers, English language translation by Fourth Corner Nurseries. The Use of Aquatic Plants to Treat Waste Water

Another serious nitrogen consumer - Juncus ensifolius, Dagger-leaf rush




This is one of many other plants with potential for final water cleanup after passing through cattails