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File: Remediation hillside trenches.JPG|The hillside from the front, with duff removed
File: Remediation hillside trenches.JPG|The hillside from the front, with duff removed
File: Remediation hillside swaleswlogs.JPG|The swales from the side, showing the logs in place and ready to be buried
File: Remediation hillside swaleswlogs.JPG|The swales from the side, showing the logs in place and ready to be buried
File: Remediation hillside swalewall.JPG
File: Remediation hillside swalewall.JPG|Side view of the swale wall
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Revision as of 09:15, 6 May 2011

Template:305inprogress

Background

This project will involve turning an unused hillside at the Humboldt State University Campus Center for Appropriate Technology, or CCAT, into a useful space for growing plants, and also to stabilize the nearby hillside against possible erosion. The plot will also be landscaped to be aesthetically pleasing and to more fully integrate it with the rest of CCAT.

The project will be finished over the course of the Spring 2011 semester with volunteer work from CCAT workers and other volunteer student help.

Costs

This project is to be completed almost entirely with materials readily available at CCAT,and all of the labor required will be from CCAT volunteers. While most of the plants utilized will be transplanted from CCAT's gardens.

Criteria

These criteria were chosen as the most important to the project and given a weight from 0 to 10, with 10 being the most important.

Criteria Constraints Weight (0-10)
Upkeep Required Must require as little upkeep as possible 6
Completion Time Must be completed within allotted time frame 8
Aesthetics Must fit in with the natural beauty of the CCAT property 9
Appropriate Technology Must be made using appropriate methods 10
Local Plants used should reflect local flora and native species to the area 7

Design

Construction

Preparation and Digging

The first step in shaping the hillside was to remove the layer of duff and forest litter that covered the hillside. This material was saved, so that it could later be replaced when the major digging for the project was done. Once the entire area was down to bare dirt, the two swales were dug horizontally across the slope, along the two top contour lines. This placed each swale roughly 5 feet apart. Each swale was roughly one and one-half of a shovel's blade in depth, and about a shovel blade's width across, though certain sections were made larger to accommodate larger logs. Large rocks and sticks were manually removed from the dirt as it was brought up, and was then shoveled into a long wall directly adjacent to the ditch on the downhill side. As it was created, the wall was periodically tamped with shovels to ensure that it did not fall apart or slide into the lower swale.

Final Setup

After each swale was completed, decomposing logs were chosen and laid end-to-end in the trenches, then filled with dirt from the uphill slope above each swale, as well as dirt taken from various locations around CCAT. Each swale was filled with enough dirt to cover the logs to a depth of about 4 inches, creating the planting bed that the swales were made to house. At this time, the stored duff was raked back into place, covering the entire site except for the planting beds. This will reduce erosion from rain and wind, and will aid in decomposition and provide a habitat for helpful insects and other organisms. The final step will involve planting several ferns along the length of each swale, which will eventually grow large and take root in the dirt and logs provided for them.

Literature Review

Mulching

The areas where plants are to be grown can be mulched in order to add nutrients to the soil, which is primarily clay throughout most of the hillside. Mulch can be created from shredded newspaper[1], certain types of plastics, and other natural materials to cover the ground and prevent weeds from spreading.[2] For this project, mulch will be spread over the entire remediation zone to prevent incursion by weeds, with gaps left for the plants that will be planted at various places called 'Grow-through mulch'. This will not only allow plants to grow but will serve as a spot that organic materials can be disposed of and utilized as new mulch for the remediation area.

Composting

Along with the mulch for surface cover, the soil where plants are to be planted will be supplemented with organic compost made from local organic waste. This compost can be provided by both CCAT and the Humboldt State University campus. Organic wastes such as grass clippings, vegetable matter from kitchens, and old newspapers can all be mixed with the soil to provide nutrients for plants. Redwood logs provided by CCAT can also be buried beneath the plant beds before planting in order to provide nutrients and warmth from decomposition.[3]

Plant Selection

The plants chosen for the remediation site will be nothing but native plants[4], with a preference given to ones that can be transplanted from CCAT grounds instead of newly-purchased ones. As the area is heavily shaded, special consideration needs to be taken to choose the right plants for the amount of solar energy available. A Solar Pathfinder will be used to determine average sun for each area, and local plants such as Sword Ferns[5] and other forest plantlife will be planted around the beds.[6]

References

  1. Pellett, Norman E. and Heleba, David A. 1995 "Chopped Newspaper for Weed Control in Nursery Crops" J. Environmental Horticulture 13(2): 77-81.
  2. Whitefield, Patrick. 2002 How To Make A Forest Garden. White River Junction: Chelsea Green Publishing Company.
  3. Campbell, Stu. 1990 Let It Rot!. United States: R.R. Donnelley
  4. Smith, James Payne. 1972 Campus Flora Atlas. Arcata: Humboldt State University Department of Biology
  5. Hoshizaki, Barbara Joe and Robbin C. Moran. 2001. Fern Grower's Manual. Portland: Timber Press.
  6. Morse, Harriet K. 1962 Gardening In The Shade. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons
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