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

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

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

Yes

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches (documented using WOCAT)

Farmer initiative within enabling environment [Switzerland]

Initiative and innovation of land users, stimulated by government's technical and financial support.

• Compiler: Nicole Guedel
• 01/13/2009 midnight

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Contour small bench terraces with stabilising permanent green cover in steep sloping vineyards.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Description: The vineyards of the region are all, for micro-climatc reasons, more or less sloped. The technology is applied on steep to very steep slopes. It ist characterised by two elements: 1) small bench terrace with one contour-oriented vine row per terrace and 2) an initially sown all-year green cover of the soil surface for stabilisation reasons (green cover is also used between vine rows which are oriented up and down the slope, eg not terraced, see SWI01).
Purpose: Main purpose of the terrace construction is a possible mechanisation on steep to very steep slopes. Direct purpose of the green cover is the stabilisation of the small terraces, indirect but important purpose is the prevention of soil degradation, especially soil erosion by water and - secondary - to protect soil surface from compactation when using mechanised equipment.
Establishment: The terraces are constructed by external specialists and heavy machinery (walking excavator, type "Menzi Muck") and are considered to serve for a whole life cycle of the vine (20-40 years). The green cover is sown since stabilisation is needed from the very beginning on. The duration of the establishment is 3 years. Because of insufficient root length of young vines agronomic and vegetative measures differ from the "normal" measures: For reasons of competition the space around the freshly planted vines is kept free from vegetation with a hoe.
Maintenance: the topsoil is ripped from time to time with fuel driven machine (spade machine tracked by tractor). Cover vegetation is either cut or chopped and serves as mulching . Herbicides are applied around the vines. Minimum tillage and cutting / mulching may additionally serve to mobilise nutrients and to increase organic matter content or to eliminate competition of cover vegetation.
Natural environment: the vineyards are mainly placed on mountain or hill slopes, below 600 m a.s.l., annual rainfall is around 1000 mm with at least one erosive storm per year. The geological underground is limy, locally layered by Molasse (type of conglomerate). Soil properties are strongly influenced by anthropogenic activities (viticulture). Main degradation problem without green cover is erosion by water.
Human environment / land use: the region has a strong wine growing tradition (several centuries), belongs to the important Swiss wine growing regions and is not very densly populated.
First experiments with green cover in Switzerland were done in the 70ies around Zürich on contour small bench terraces, in the region of the lake of Biel contour small bench terraces with green cover started to be implemented in the 80ies

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

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• less than 10 years ago (recently)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The development of contour small bench terraces with green cover in vineyards was (also on the international level) essentially promoted and supported by the Federal Research Station for fruit-growing, viticulture and horticulture in Wädenswil (Canton of Zürich) and Changins (Canton of Vaud)

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

Cropland

• Tree and shrub cropping

Tree and shrub cropping - Specify crops:

• grapes

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 210Longest growing period from month to month: Apr - Oct

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): The main problem was decreasing soil fertility, especially throug soil erosion by water with negative off-site effects like sand- /sediment deposition and contamination of groundwater by nutrients. It became a serious problem since the 60ies when the fact became visible that the traditional labour-intensive cultivation system, which was strongly dependent on external inputss, could no longer be sustained within an industrialised agriculture system.

Type of cropping system and major crops comments: a vine plantation is established for a period of 20-40 years (lifetime of a vine). Some farmers make one year of fallow between the destruction of the old and the establishment of a new plantation.

3.4 Water supply

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

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Comments:

Water supply: rainfed, mixed rainfed - irrigated

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• improved ground/ vegetation cover
• cross-slope measure

• Stabilisation of terraces

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

soil erosion by water

• Wt: loss of topsoil/ surface erosion
• Wo: offsite degradation effects

chemical soil deterioration

• Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content (not caused by erosion)
• Cp: soil pollution

physical soil deterioration

• Pc: compaction
• Pk: slaking and crusting

Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion, Wo: offsite degradation effects

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content, Cp: soil pollution, Pc: compaction, Pk: sealing and crusting

Main causes of degradation: other human induced causes (specify) (agricultural causes: fast changing basic conditions of viticulture in the last 100 years), education, access to knowledge and support services (lack of knowledge), fast changing basic conditions of viticulture (economy, laws)

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• reduce land degradation

Comments:

Main goals: mitigation / reduction of land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.3 Establishment activities

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

Comments:

Duration of establishment phase: 36 month(s)

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

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

Comments:

Machinery/ tools: e.g.: walking excavator, hoe, mower with tracked vehicle or portable motor scythe, spading machine with tracked vehicle; knapsack sprayer or biocide t

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

(manual) labour

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Altitudinal zone: 501-1000 m a.s.l. (For climatic reasons vines grow hardly above 600 m a.s.l. in Switzerland)
Landforms: Hill slopes (most of them southeastward sloping hills (part of the Jura mountain range))
Slopes on average: Steep (31-60%) (Vines are planted on different slopes. But contour small bench terraces are applied at steep slopes)

5.3 Soils

If available, attach full soil description or specify the available information, e.g. soil type, soil PH/ acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, nitrogen, salinity etc.

Soil depth: From shallow to very deep (Soil depth is very irregular, at some places limestone rocks appear at the surface, at other places soil can be quite deep.But if soil is very shallow for the whole parcel contour small bench terraces)
Soil fertilits is medium (Vines are normally grown on rather marginal spots. Compared to the general productivity these soils have a medium fertility. (If measured at the vine itself, soil fertility is sufficient/high))
Topsoil organic matter is medium (loamy,silty) (without / before SWC (green cover))
Soil drainage/infiltration is mostly good, at some spots medium (depressions; when high percentage of clay)
Soil water storage capacity is medium (without / before SWC (green cover)), high (without / before SWC (green cover)) or low (without / before SWC (green cover). Depressions; when high percentage of clay)

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Population density: 200-500 persons/km2
Annual population growth: 0.5% - 1%
Off-farm income specification: This is representative for the full time winegrowers. The majority of winegrowers do winegrowing beside a regular off-farm job as a hobby. Nearly all winegrowers have implementeted the SWC technology. Probably there is no difference in hobby-winegrowers and full-time-winegrowers concernring implementation of the SWC technology.
Level of mechanization: Manual labour (most of the work in the vineyard is done by hand (especially harvest)) or mechanised (some of the activities are carried out with fuel driven equipment. But mechanisation is moderate since big and heavy machines cannot been applied in these vineyards).
Market orientation is commercial/market (in the region of the lake of Biel the majority of grapes are pressed to wine an then and sold directly from the farm's wine cellar)

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

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

Land ownership:

• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• individual

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Other socio-economic impacts

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Climate and disaster risk reduction

Other ecological impacts

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

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

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

• 91-100%

Comments:

10% of land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

Comments on acceptance with external material support: estimates

90% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

Comments on spontaneous adoption: estimates

There is a strong trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: Contour small bench terraces with green cover are seen as good opportunity for viticulture in steep slopes. Adoption is done mainly spontaneous

7.1 Methods/ sources of information