1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Working on Ecosystems (Natural Resource Management Programmes – DEA, South Africa)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

SMC Synergy (SMC Synergy) - South Africa

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

17/01/2018

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

No

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

The rehabilitation of active gully erosion by re-sloping the banks of the gully in an effort to manage the energy of the water entering the system. Bare soil is protected from erosion by covering it with erosion blankets, brush packing and the establishment of silt fences.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

This gully reshaping project was conducted in the Mapungubwe National Park in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The area receives summer rainfall with an annual average of around 600 to 700 mm. Thunderstorms are common. Due to overgrazing on highly erodible soils, gully headcuts are actively migrating upstream. This conservation technology can be considered for any gully of up to 2 meters in depth (even on duplex - highly erodible soils - gypsum must, however, be added to the relocated topsoil in this case). The purpose of re-sloping is to reduce the gradient of gully heads and sidewalls, thereby reducing the energy of runoff water. This also leads to enhanced vegetation cover and reduced sediment transport in the gully. Resloping of gullies is performed in stages:
Stage One: Remove all viable and useful plants in and around the active gully system that will be affected by the reshaping – store these for replanting.
Stage Two: Relocate the usable topsoil to the edge of the gully reshape footprint.
Stage Three: Reshaping of the gully banks to a 1:3 slope (relative to the new valley floor level after refilling with bank material - see figure). Start by removing the top of the bank and placing it on the gully floor. Make sure to compact the soil from the banks - breaking up clods to smaller particles. Continue to remove more of the bank material and compact it in layers to form a disk shape profile (cross section - see sketch).
Stage Four: Spread the topsoil evenly over the newly created gentle sloping profile. Add indigenous grass seed (if available: if not, exotic grasses).
Stage Five: Construct silt fences (made of fabric filter cloth - Geotextile) above the water entry points and inside the newly formed profile (around 10 m apart).
Stage Six: Cover the area with soil erosion blankets (bio-jute) and/or mulch and/or brush packing with thorny local woody biomass.
Stage Seven: Replant recovered plants - protect the area with fences if possible until grass cover established.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

Indicate year of implementation:

2017

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

Working on Ecosystem Services

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem
• protect a watershed/ downstream areas – in combination with other Technologies
• reduce risk of disasters
• create beneficial social impact

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

3.3 Further information about land use

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• rainfed

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

Specify:

Summer rainfall - October to April

Livestock density (if relevant):

Hi - game (various species)

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• improved ground/ vegetation cover
• cross-slope measure
• surface water management (spring, river, lakes, sea)

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• applied at specific points/ concentrated on a small area

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• reduce land degradation
• restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Rehabilitation of gully erosion - 0.5 m to 2 m deep.
Reslope gully banks from vertical to approximately 30-degree slope.
Silt fences are established above gull head-cut - silt fences inside the reshaped gully - in the region of 10 m apart.
Brush packing with thorny biomass to prevent grazing and provide a micro-climate for grass seed to germinate and establish.

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

Indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (if relevant): 1 USD =:

12.0

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Remove plants	Vegetative	2 to 3 months before the summer rain
2.	Remove topsoil	Structural	2 to 3 months before the summer rain
3.	Reshaping, compacting, layering	Structural	2 to 3 months before the summer rain
4.	Reseeding	Vegetative	2 to 3 months before the summer rain
5.	Soil erosion blankets installation	Structural	2 to 3 months before the summer rain
6.	Silt fences	Structural	2 to 3 months before the summer rain
7.	Brush packing	Structural	2 to 3 months before the summer rain

4.5 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Unskilled labour (including transport)	per day	60.0	240.0	14400.0
Equipment	Picks, spades, hand compactor, pliers, hopper, bow saws, hammer, wheel barrow (renting the equipment)	per day	35.0	20.0	700.0
Plant material	Grass seed mix	per kilogram	2.0	75.0	150.0
Construction material	Erosion blankets	per square meter	170.0	15.0	2550.0
Construction material	Silt fences	per meter	16.0	15.0	240.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					18040.0

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

Department of Environmental Affairs - NRM programmes

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	After floods restore site (silt fences and brush packing)	Structural	After floods

4.7 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Restoration of site after flooding events	per day	6.0	240.0	1440.0
Equipment	Tools to restore fences and brush packing	per day	3.0	20.0	60.0
Construction material	Silt fences	per day	10.0	15.0	150.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					1650.0

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

Department of Environmental Affairs - NRM programmes

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Labour availability, soil hardness, availability of material, transport cost

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• concave situations

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Flood plane

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

Yes

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Yes

Regularity:

episodically

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

People are brought into the protected areas to work on the rehabilitation projects.

5.7 Average area of land owned or leased by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• state

Land use rights:

• communal (organized)

• State

• Government land

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Other socio-economic impacts

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Climate and disaster risk reduction

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

Comments regarding impact assessment:

The accumulative effect of treating all gully head-cut erosion in the floodplain will have an effect on sediment loads in the Limpopo river

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	Type of climatic change/ extreme	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	well
seasonal temperature	summer	increase	well
annual rainfall		decrease	well
seasonal rainfall	summer	decrease	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local thunderstorm	not well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
land fire	not well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
flash flood	not well

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• single cases/ experimental

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many have did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 0-10%

Comments:

This technology can be adopted only if funds are available from the government.

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

Yes

If yes, indicate to which changing conditions it was adapted:

• climatic change/ extremes

Specify adaptation of the Technology (design, material/ species, etc.):

Preventative erosion measures above the intervention.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Good technology to stabilise degraded landscapes
Technology helps to improve the habitat - biodiversity in the protected area
Technology helps to reduce the off-site effects of sediment accumulation in rivers

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Good technology to stabilise degraded landscapes
Technology helps to improve the habitat - biodiversity in the protected area
Technology helps to reduce the off-site effects of sediment accumulation in rivers

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Sensitive to flooding	Better timing of intervention
Sensitive to fire	Construct fire breaks around interventions

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Wetland Rehabilitation Guidelines, W Russel, 2009, ISBN 978-1-77005-640-4

Available from where? Costs?

Water Research Commission - South Africa - WRC report TT 341/09

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Practical Techniques for Habitat & Wildlife Management: a guide for game ranches, conservation areas and farmland, Ken Coetzee, 2016,ISBN: 978-0-986-70844-9

Available from where? Costs?

New Voices Publishing