Khidmat Foundation

Back to Plant Nutrition

SUSTAINABLE PLANTATION:

1.     SITE RECCE
2.     STUDY
3.     ESTABLISHMENT

 

1. SITE RECCE:
    • Traveling and Daily allowance admissible.
    • F 4 WD Jeep provided.
    • F Survey equipment and local maps available.



2. STUDY:
    • Weather conditions, gather data.
    • Grazing patterns.
    • Population.
    • Soil.
    • Water.
    • Wildlife.
    • Economic conditions.
    • Ownership patterns.



3. ESTABLISHMENT:
    • Establish Administrative base (APT Center).
    • Establish water source.
    • Establish Nursery/ Grow local species.
    • Prepare area to be planted.
    • Establish Compost Heaps.
    • Plant trees.
    • Sustain planted trees.
    • Physical protection.
    • Watering where/ When needed.
    • Provide Nutrition.
    • Pruning/ Training/ Replacing.
    • Train locals.
    • Collect data.
    • Review activities.
    • Prepare Reports.


The establishment of trees on marginal and depleted slopes is a difficult task. If we do not ensure adequate nutrition and do not understand the dynamics of the soil, we are quite likely to fail. This takes a lot of effort to ensure that the trees so painstakingly planted, survive and flourish. We must understand the requirements of the trees and supply them. Pine trees are assisted in obtaining Nitrogen by bacteria that inhabit the soil. This form of Nitrogen Fixation differs from that of leguminous plants When we transplant young trees and are not careful with the root ball, most of these bacteria are killed. In order to re-establish the bacteria we need to re-introduce the requisite bacteria into he soil. It takes 15 days for these bacteria to re-establish in congenial soil (organic content). Amendment is applied to a 1 month weathered bed. Natural rooting and fruiting hormones go a long way to help the young sapling. Macro, Secondary and Micro Nutrients in small quantities are needed by the plant, especially when it is young and has not had time to establish its root system. Organic matter is also of prime importance. When nutrients are applied in a foliar spray , they overcome the soil's tying capacity. Secondly, they are not leached from the soil due to water movement (rains). Thirdly, they are required in small quantities. The Khidmat Foundation has sourced all of the above material. These materials are available in Pakistan at relatively low cost. We have used these materials with amazingly positive results. Poor growth of the trees that do survive in plantation is reason enough to apply these materials. The quick maturity and health of the resultant trees more than adequately justifies the costs involved.