1.2 Coordonnées des personnes-ressources et des institutions impliquées dans l'évaluation et la documentation de la Technologie

Nom du projet qui a facilité la documentation/ l'évaluation de la Technologie (si pertinent)

Preventing and Remediating degradation of soils in Europe through Land Care (EU-RECARE )

Nom du projet qui a facilité la documentation/ l'évaluation de la Technologie (si pertinent)

Catastrophic shifts in drylands (EU-CASCADE)

Nom du ou des institutions qui ont facilité la documentation/ l'évaluation de la Technologie (si pertinent)

University of Aveiro (University of Aveiro) - Portugal

1.3 Conditions relatives à l'utilisation par WOCAT des données documentées

Quand les données ont-elles été compilées (sur le terrain)?

25/04/2013

Le compilateur et la(les) personne(s) ressource(s) acceptent les conditions relatives à l'utilisation par WOCAT des données documentées:

Oui

2.1 Courte description de la Technologie

Définition de la Technologie:

Forest residue mulch is spread immediately after a wildfire in order to prevent soil erosion and reduce overland flow.

2.2 Description détaillée de la Technologie

Description:

In two areas of eucalypt plantations affected by wildfires in central Portugal in 2007 and 2010, the research team of the University of Aveiro set up two experiments in order to test the effect of forest residue mulching as a soil erosion mitigation technique. Forest residues such as chopped eucalypt bark mulch was spread over a group of erosion plots, and was compared to an untreated group of plots.
The mulching was applied at ratios of 8.7 and 10.8 Mg ha-1 provided an initial ground cover of 70 to 80%, and was found to reduce post-fire runoff by 40-50% and soil erosion by 85-90%, respectively.

Purpose of the Technology: The increase in ground cover will decrease post-fire soil erosion by reducing raindrop impact over the ashes and bare soil, and decrease the runoff amount by increasing water surface storage, decreasing runoff velocity, and increase infiltration.
Ideally, post-fire mulching must be carried out immediately after the fire, in order to prevent that the first autumn rainfall events fall over the bare and unprotected burnt soils. It is intended for places in which burnt severity was moderate to high and where there are important values at risk, such as water reservoirs, populations, industries, human and wild life.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: The chopped bark mulch was obtained at a depot 20 km from the burnt area, where eucalypt logs are debarked and then transported to a paper pulp factory. The bark is chopped into fibers and are typically transported to a biomass energy plant. We used these 10–15 cm wide 2–5 cm long bark fibers as the source for our mulching experiment. The chopped bark mulch decays very slowly (around 20% less ground cover per year) which was very useful in cases of low re-growth of natural vegetation.

Natural / human environment: The eucalypt trees in the region are typically planted as monocultures for paper pulp production, and harvested every 7-14 years. The landscape reflects a long history of intense land management, with a mosaic of (semi-)natural and man-made agricultural and afforested lands. Since the 1980´s, however, wildfires have increased dramatically in frequency and extent, aided by a general warming and drying trend but driven primarily by socio-economic changes.

2.3 Photos de la Technologie

2.5 Pays/ région/ lieux où la Technologie a été appliquée et qui sont couverts par cette évaluation

2.6 Date de mise en œuvre de la Technologie

Si l'année précise est inconnue, indiquez la date approximative: :

• il y a moins de 10 ans (récemment)

2.7 Introduction de la Technologie

Spécifiez comment la Technologie a été introduite: :

• au cours d'expérimentations / de recherches

Commentaires (type de projet, etc.) :

The first experiment was carried out in 2007.

3.2 Type(s) actuel(s) d'utilisation des terres, là où la Technologie est appliquée

Commentaires:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Increased runoff and soil erosion, resulting in a decrease of on-site fertility and derived off-site effects such as loss of water quality, reservoirs water volume storage, higher risk of flooding and human beings damage.

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): Loss of wood resources and productivity.

Plantation forestry: eucalypt are logged and left to regrow from stumps each 7-10 years

Forest products and services: timber, fuelwood

3.3 Informations complémentaires sur l'utilisation des terres

Nombre de période de croissance par an: :

• 1

3.4 Groupe de GDT auquel appartient la Technologie

• Amélioration de la couverture végétale/ du sol

3.5 Diffusion de la Technologie

Spécifiez la diffusion de la Technologie:

• répartie uniformément sur une zone

Si la Technologie est uniformément répartie sur une zone, indiquez la superficie couverte approximative:

• < 0,1 km2 (10 ha)

Commentaires:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 1.0E-5 m2.

The experiment was carried out in grous of small bounded plots of 0.25, 16 and 100 m2.

3.6 Mesures de GDT constituant la Technologie

Commentaires:

Main measures: agronomic measures

Type of agronomic measures: mulching

3.7 Principaux types de dégradation des terres traités par la Technologie

Commentaires:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion, Hs: change in quantity of surface water, Hp: decline of surface water quality

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Wo: offsite degradation effects, Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content

Main causes of degradation: crop management (annual, perennial, tree/shrub) (Eucalypt monocultures are prone to suffer wildfires), deforestation / removal of natural vegetation (incl. forest fires), disturbance of water cycle (infiltration / runoff) (Increased runoff is observed after wildfires), Heavy / extreme rainfall (intensity/amounts) (Burnt areas are very sensitive to high intensity events), other natural causes (avalanches, volcanic eruptions, mud flows, highly susceptible natural resources, extreme topography, etc.) specify (Sediment deposition can decrease the storage volume of reservoirs.)

Secondary causes of degradation: floods (Overland flow can be extremely high after forest fires), inputs and infrastructure: (roads, markets, distribution of water points, other, …) (Roads concentrated the runoff and are greatly degraded.)

3.8 Prévention, réduction de la dégradation ou réhabilitation des terres dégradées

Spécifiez l'objectif de la Technologie au regard de la dégradation des terres:

• prévenir la dégradation des terres
• réduire la dégradation des terres

Commentaires:

Main goals: prevention of land degradation, mitigation / reduction of land degradation

4.1 Dessin technique de la Technologie

4.2 Spécification/ explications techniques du dessin technique

Forest residue mulch is spread as homogeneous as possible over steep areas (steeper than 15º) burnt at high fire severity (represented in green and 1). Other areas which are flat (2) and burnt at low severity or only partially burnt (3) must be avoided.

Location: Ermida. Sever do Vouga/ Portugal

Date: 15 9 2010

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: low (forest residue mulching is highly effective in all situations, but applications using short fibres mulching as well as low intensity burning should be avoided.)

Technical knowledge required for land users: low

Main technical functions: control of raindrop splash, control of dispersed runoff: retain / trap, control of concentrated runoff: retain / trap, control of concentrated runoff: impede / retard, control of concentrated runoff: drain / divert, improvement of ground cover, improvement of water quality, buffering / filtering water, sediment retention / trapping, sediment harvesting

Secondary technical functions: control of dispersed runoff: impede / retard, reduction of slope angle, increase of surface roughness, increase in organic matter, increase of infiltration, increase / maintain water stored in soil, increase of groundwater level / recharge of groundwater

Mulching
Material/ species: chopped bark, cork, stems, leaves, straw/eucalypt, pine, oaks, shrubs
Quantity/ density: 2-10t/ha
Remarks: material with low density (straw) need less weight for achieving the final goal: 70% ground cover.

4.3 Informations générales sur le calcul des intrants et des coûts

autre/ monnaie nationale (précisez):

Euro

Indiquer le taux de change du dollars en monnaie locale (si pertinent): 1 USD= :

0,78

4.4 Activités de mise en place/ d'établissement

	Activité	Type de mesures	Calendrier
1.	Labour	Agronomique
2.	Transportation (small truck for carrying persons and material)	Agronomique
3.	Eucalypt chopped bark mulch	Agronomique
4.	Others	Agronomique

4.5 Coûts et intrants nécessaires à la mise en place

	Spécifiez les intrants	Unité	Quantité	Coûts par unité	Coût total par intrant	% des coût supporté par les exploitants des terres
Main d'œuvre	Labour	ha	1,0	192,0	192,0	100,0
Equipements	Machine use	ha	1,0	51,2	51,2	100,0
Autre	Forest residue mulch	ha	1,0	307,6	307,6	100,0
Autre	Others	ha	1,0	64,1	64,1	100,0
Coût total de mise en place de la Technologie					614,9

Commentaires:

Duration of establishment phase: 1 month(s)

4.7 Coûts et intrants nécessaires aux activités d'entretien/ récurrentes (par an)

Commentaires:

The prices were determined in winter 2012 for central Portugal. It is intended that mulch is applied only once, and thus maintenance is not needed. In other regions other forest residues can have a higher availability. Straw, needles, deciduous leaves or chopped shrubs are lighter compared to eucalypt chopped bark, slash stems or wood chips, and thus, can be easier to apply and transport. However, the lighter the material, the easier it can be blown away in windy areas.

4.8 Facteurs les plus importants affectant les coûts

Décrivez les facteurs les plus importants affectant les coûts :

Accessibility and steepness will raise the costs, but selecting forest residues with lower densities as well as applying them in horizontal strips along the slope can reduce the application rates and the costs.
For large and inaccessible areas some researchers indicated that helicopters can reduce the costs.

5.1 Climat

5.2 Topographie

Commentaires et précisions supplémentaires sur la topographie:

Altitudinal zone: 101-500 m a.s.l. (300m)

5.3 Sols

Si disponible, joignez une description complète du sol ou précisez les informations disponibles, par ex., type de sol, pH/ acidité du sol, capacité d'échange cationique, azote, salinité, etc.

Topsoil organic matter is high (Around 10 % between 0 to 5 cm of soil depth)
Soil fertility is high-medium
Soil drainage/infiltration is medium (Dependent on the soil water repellence cycles, characteristics of eucalypt and pine plantations on the area.)
Soil water storage capacity is medium

5.4 Disponibilité et qualité de l'eau

5.5 Biodiversité

5.6 Caractéristiques des exploitants des terres appliquant la Technologie

Indiquez toute autre caractéristique pertinente des exploitants des terres:

Land users applying the Technology are mainly common / average land users

Population density: 50-100 persons/km2

Annual population growth: negative

50% of the land users are average wealthy.
40% of the land users are poor.
10% of the land users are poor.

5.7 Superficie moyenne des terres détenues ou louées par les exploitants appliquant la Technologie

5.8 Propriété foncière, droits d’utilisation des terres et de l'eau

Propriété foncière:

• communauté/ village

Droits d’utilisation des terres:

• communautaire (organisé)
• individuel

Droits d’utilisation de l’eau:

• accès libre (non organisé)

5.9 Accès aux services et aux infrastructures

6.1 Impacts sur site que la Technologie a montrés

Impacts socio-économiques

Disponibilité et qualité de l'eau

Revenus et coûts

Impacts socioculturels

Impacts écologiques

Cycle de l'eau/ ruissellement

Sols

Biodiversité: végétale, animale

Autres impacts écologiques

6.2 Impacts hors site que la Technologie a montrés

6.3 Exposition et sensibilité de la Technologie aux changements progressifs et aux évènements extrêmes/catastrophes liés au climat (telles que perçues par les exploitants des terres)

Changements climatiques progressifs

Changements climatiques progressifs

	Saison	Type de changements/ extrêmes climatiques	Comment la Technologie fait-elle face à cela?
températures annuelles		augmente	bien

Extrêmes climatiques (catastrophes)

Catastrophes météorologiques

	Comment la Technologie fait-elle face à cela?
pluie torrentielle locale	bien
tempête de vent locale	bien

Catastrophes climatiques

	Comment la Technologie fait-elle face à cela?
sécheresse	bien

Catastrophes hydrologiques

	Comment la Technologie fait-elle face à cela?
inondation générale (rivière)	pas bien

Autres conséquences liées au climat

Autres conséquences liées au climat

	Comment la Technologie fait-elle face à cela?
réduction de la période de croissance	pas connu

6.4 Analyse coûts-bénéfices

Quels sont les bénéfices comparativement aux coûts de mise en place (du point de vue des exploitants des terres)?

Quels sont les bénéfices comparativement aux coûts d'entretien récurrents (du point de vue des exploitants des terres)?

6.5 Adoption de la Technologie

Commentaires:

Comments on acceptance with external material support: The technology has been tested by scientific researchers and it is very effective, but not broadly implemented.

Comments on spontaneous adoption: The technology has been tested by scientific researchers researchers and it is very effective, but not broadly implemented.

There is no trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

6.7 Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités de la Technologie

Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités du point de vue de l'exploitant des terres
It will prevent sediment movement and accumulation over roads and downslope properties

Points forts/ avantages/ possibilités du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé
It is a technology very easy to apply, with low failure possibilities and a strong soil erosion control How can they be sustained / enhanced? Some researchers found better performance by grinding the mulch and selecting only the longest fibres.
The material is readily available (residues from the main forest specie affected by the wildfire)

6.8 Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques de la Technologie et moyens de les surmonter

Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques du point de vue de l’exploitant des terres	Comment peuvent-ils être surmontés?
The costs are not very high, but enough to discourage the landowners to cover the expenses.	Look for Government funding, educate land owners about soil erosion conservation techniques.

Faiblesses/ inconvénients/ risques du point de vue du compilateur ou d'une autre personne ressource clé	Comment peuvent-ils être surmontés?
When applying high density mulches the application labour requirements and costs will be higher	Distribute the mulch in strips, use lighter mulches, grind to remove the fine fibres or maybe try to reduce the application rate. It is also possible to use in-situ chopping tree machines or to use aerial application methods, such as helicopters to reduce the application costs.

7.2 Références des publications disponibles

Titre, auteur, année, ISBN:

Prats S. A., Macdonald L.H., Monteiro M.S.V., Ferreira A.J.D., Coelho C.O.A., Keizer J.J.,
2012. Effectiveness of forest residue mulching in reducing post-fire runoff and erosion
in a pine and a eucalypt plantation in north-central Portugal. Geoderma 191, 115-124.

Disponible à partir d'où? Coût?

Internet

Titre, auteur, année, ISBN:

Shakesby R.A., Boakes D.J., Coelho C.O.A., Gonçalves A.J.B., Walsh R.P.D., 1996. Limiting
the soil degradational impacts of wildfire in pine and eucalyptus forests in Portugal.
Applied Geography 16, 337-335.

Disponible à partir d'où? Coût?

Internet

Titre, auteur, année, ISBN:

Robichaud, P.R., Lewis, S.A., Ashmun, L.E., Wagenbrenner, J.W., Brown, R.E., 2013a.
Postfire mulching for runoff and erosion mitigation Part I: Effectiveness at reducing
hillslope erosion rates. Catena 105, 75–92.

Disponible à partir d'où? Coût?

Internet