Description of practice
Vegetative strips consisting of grasses or shrubs planted along contour lines are used as a measure to control erosion, reduce and filter runoff and preserve sediment.
| Examples of how to use vegetative strips | Further information (see Note below) |
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Slope subdivision with a grass stripA field at risk of erosion by water is divided by a grass strip that prevents soil loss and further damage to the field and downstream areas and infrastructure during heavy rainfall. |
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Planted vegetative stripsEconomic crops and forage are planted in strips along contour lines to control soil loss through erosion. |
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Natural vegetative stripsWithin individual plots, strips of land along contour lines are left unploughed in order to form permanent, cross-slope barriers of naturally established grasses and herbs. |
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Progressive bench terraces formed by a vetiver hedge system and treesVetiver grass hedges are planted along contour lines. Successive deposits of sediment collect on the upslope side. To improve slope stabilization in the long term, new trees are planted along the downslope edge of the hedges. |
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Grass stripsGrass strips are planted to slow runoff, increase infiltration and retain sediment. The strips get bigger as the sediment builds up which maintains their capacity to retain water. |
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Aloe vera living hedgesLiving hedges of Aloe vera are planted along contour lines to form a barrier that efficiently retains eroded sediments and surface runoff. The hedges stabilize the soil and improve infiltration and soil structure. |
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Note: Most of the Further information links are to a full description of the example in the WOCAT database. However sometimes the link may be to similar practices or a research paper. Occasionally the link is to a commercial product in which case it should be understood that this does not imply any endorsement of the product by iSQAPER.