Designing Ecological Habitats - Gaia Education

HealtHy soil restoration: tHe key to sustainability 103
“Shit makes flowers grow!”
Together with urine it contains high
amounts of nitrogen and minerals.
We eat the plants (or animals that ate
the plants). Plants contain nitrogen
that we pass on in concentrated
forms. On some of the mulched
areas at the ZEGG, we also spread
the compost from our dry toilets,
as the nitrogen, phosphorus, the
innumerable microorganisms, fungi
and worms promote decomposition
of the organic material into rich,
usable humus. Initially we scattered
clay dust, which forms a mineral
compound with humus, thereby
improving its ability to retain nutrients and water, preventing their loss
by leaching into the groundwater in our sandy soils.
Another valuable method of soil restoration is the use of green manures.
These include peas, beans, lentils, clover, alfalfa (Medicago sativa), lupines
(Lupinus polyphyllos), broom and black locust (Robinia pseudo-acacia) – all
members of the pea family (fabaceae). Over a period of several years, we have
sown a large variety of green manure plants, which now freely propagate
themselves. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) was especially important to us in recultivating
the land. It is able to extend its root system down to an astounding
depth of more than 10 meters, enabling it to remain lush and green even
during the driest of summers. In this way, it makes water and minerals from
deep levels of the ground available to many other plants, and permeates the
soil with veins of humus.
We use a mulch mower and subsequently leave the plant material lying
on the ground, in order to recreate a natural layer of humus.
using Local Resources
For about 12 years now, our local town of Belzig has been supplying us with
profuse amounts of autumn leaves. Before this, they would drive them to the
garbage dump about 10 km away. They actually had to pay to deposit this
‘waste’. Ever since they have been bringing it to us, they have been paying
less, driving less, and wasting less energy. We let these leaves sit for awhile,
and then spread them under trees and bushes, or cover and consequently
feed entire grasslands with the intention of cultivating them with vegetables
afterwards.
The leaf mulch has proven to be particularly beneficial in the forest, as in
addition to improving the soil it suppresses the dreaded grasses. Leaf mulch
contains seeds from a host of other trees and shrubs which all contribute to
transforming a typical, post-modern pine monoculture into a full mixed-use
ZEGG harvest.