ePLANETe Platform | Knowledge Environment Rapid Platform about Sustainable Development (KERPSD)

Maintenance of forest cover in headwaters

Submitted by Philippe Lanceleur on Sun, 09/22/2024 - 14:24

Forests in headwater areas benefit water quality and hydrologic cycling. Furthermore, maintaining and restoring the forest cover in headwater catchments offers other, multiple benefits such as increased soil water retention, intercepted pollution pathways, improved soil, maintained biodiversity and captured carbon dioxide.

Vegetative riparian buffers

Submitted by Philippe Lanceleur on Sun, 09/22/2024 - 14:24

Vegetative riparian buffers are strips of trees, bushes and grass alongside surface water bodies such as streams or ponds. Their main function is to provide a natural buffer strip to filter out nutrient and sediment transported from agricultural fields and prevent it reaching the water bodies - as well as maintaining undisturbed green corridors.

Riparian buffer strip with naturally recovered vegetation

Submitted by Philippe Lanceleur on Sun, 09/22/2024 - 14:24

Riparian buffer strips refer to the permanent greening of arable land alongside streams and other water bodies. By slowing down runoff water from the land, they help to protect water bodies from diffuse pollution. Riparian buffer strips have multiple other environmental benefits, but disadvantages also.

Meadows and pastures

Submitted by Philippe Lanceleur on Sun, 09/22/2024 - 14:24

Permanent meadows or pastures are more effective in controlling land degradation than arable cropping. They are especially appropriate in hilly regions on sloping land where the risk of water erosion is high.

Grassed waterways

Submitted by Philippe Lanceleur on Sun, 09/22/2024 - 14:24

A grassed waterway is a strip of grass and other permanent low growing vegetation that is established along in the main drainage line (the thalweg) of an agricultural field to discharge water safely and prevent gully development.

Grass or stubble in areas prone to flooding and erosion

Submitted by Philippe Lanceleur on Sun, 09/22/2024 - 14:24

Establishment of grass - or retaining stubble - on arable land that is prone to erosion and flooding to reduce the risk of soil and nutrient losses.

Freezing winter cover crops

Submitted by Philippe Lanceleur on Sun, 09/22/2024 - 14:24

Freezing winter cover crops are planted to cover the soil rather than for the purpose of being harvested. They improve soil structure, diversify cropping systems, suppress weeds and pests, and prevent nutrient loss.

Hedges to subdivide fields and provide environmental benefits

Submitted by Philippe Lanceleur on Sun, 09/22/2024 - 14:24

Hedges are structured shrub communities that subdivide fields, reduce soil erosion, and provide valuable semi-natural habitats.

Grassing of Recharge Areas

Submitted by Philippe Lanceleur on Sun, 09/22/2024 - 14:24

Grassing recharge zones of agricultural drainage systems significantly improves the quality of drainage water. It can be a useful, effective and relatively cheap measure for improvement of shallow groundwater quality.

Controlled traffic farming

Submitted by Philippe Lanceleur on Sun, 09/22/2024 - 14:24

All machinery traffic uses the same lane network within the field to reduce the total compacted area, to improve connections, and to optimise overlapping of following runs resulting in more efficient use of labour and inputs. Risks from environmental pollution are also reduced.

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