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