Ferns are considered pioneer plants because Wherever there is fertile, acidic and well drained land Ferns (Pteridium sp.) preceed shrub species and the encroaching of forest species. Ferns that develop on pastures are fairly un-palatable to grazing livestock and completely disregarded by animals when the plant is fresh. The plant is thus usually mowed down to clear pastures and make way for more palatable species which would otherwise be suffocated by the presence of ferns. However, once cut down, dried and gathered, ferns can be used during the winter months (when the animals are in sheds or stables), both as a source of fibre and as bedding in deep litter housing systems (in place of the more common use of straw).
Purpose of the Technology: Improve pasture quality and gathering of fodder/ litter
Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: End of summer/beginning of fall farmers use to cut ferns in the fields where they are diffused. Usually they use tractor whit a cutting equipment. As they get dry (it takes from 3 to 6 days according to air temperature and humidity) the ferns are collected and stored for winter use, either as fodder or litter housing.
Natural / human environment: The context of production is characterised by a medium level of mechanisation (only the most demanding operations are carried out using mechanical means), the production system is essentially mixed, a small part is destined for personal consumption whilst the bulk of production is destined for local markets. The property is predominantly privately owned but also includes some public land, especially in the case of pasture land. Most farms in the area are livestock farms whilst the agricultural component is destined exclusively for private consumption. The technique is mainly applied on higher latitude pasture land (because of the presence of acidic soils) which are not particularly stony.
الموقع: castelsaraceno, Basilicata, إيطاليا
عدد مواقع تنفيذ التقنيةالتي تم تحليلها:
انتشار التقنية: منتشرة بالتساوي على مساحة (approx. 0.1-1 كم2)
في منطقة محمية بشكل دائم؟:
تاريخ التنفيذ: منذ أكثر من 50 عامًا (تقليدي)
نوع التقديم
تحديد المدخلات | الوحدة | الكمية | التكاليف لكل وحدة (euro) | إجمالي التكاليف لكل مدخل (euro) | % من التكاليف التي يتحملها مستخدمو الأراضي |
العمالة | |||||
Cutting and gathering of fern | ha | 1,0 | 162,16 | 162,16 | 100,0 |
معدات | |||||
Cutting and gathering of fern | ha | 1,0 | 108,1 | 108,1 | 100,0 |
إجمالي تكاليف صيانة التقنية | 270.26 | ||||
إجمالي تكاليف صيانة التقنية بالدولار الأمريكي | 365.22 |