permaculture

292 Facilitator’s Handbook for Permaculture Workshops

FI
ELD
ACTIVI

TY

PA

RTICIPATORY

Field activity : Fences and swales for goat/cow/buffalo (Animal Ex. 6)

Method   :  Participatory   field   activity

Tools    :  See Plan    goat/cow/buffalo    and trees   (Animal Ex. 5)

References : PC Book MOD 10 – Animal Systems; PC Book MOD 7 – Farming;

PC Book MOD 6 – Home and Community Gardens;

PC Book MOD 8 – Forests, Tree Crops, and Bamboo

Objective : Participants practice making fences for an integrated animal system

This exercise involves building swales on contour, with living fences of legume trees

planted on them. The living fences create sections for the animals, reduce erosion,

protect the soil, and provide food for the animals. Even mostly flat land will benefit from

using the contoured swale technique for dividing the land into sections.

• Temporary fences can be made so that the system can be used immediately,
  and long-term living fences grown using legume trees like gliricidia or leucaena.


• The temporary structures will need to be strong enough to:
  
  
  • Last for at least 1 year.
  
  
  • Protect the new trees from the animals.
  
  
  • Stop the animals from escaping.
  
  
  
  

Running this exercise

• Ensure that all the tools and materials needed are on hand.


• Together with the participants survey the site.


• If there is a slope on the land, any long, straight sides/fences in the design
  should be contoured to maximise soil and water retention.


• The participants can divide themselves into groups to each complete a section
  of the fence. Each section will also need a gate.


• Mark out where the swales and living fences will be planted. Follow the
  “Designing and making productive swales exercises in Module 8 - Forests, Tree
  Crops, and Bamboo” of this book.


• Divide the participants into 3 groups, each group can choose to either:
  
  
  • Construct the fences.
  
  
  • Construct the gates.
  
  
  • Construct the tree guards.
  
  
  
  


• If any exercise takes less time than the others, the groups can help others.

Review and feedback

Review the results of each work group’s construction with all of the participants and

discuss the functions and benefits of the different system. Answer any questions.

See PC Book MOD 6 – Home and Community Gardens, PC Book MOD 8 - Forests,

Tree Crops, and Bamboo, PC Book MOD 10 - Animal Systems, and other exercises

in this book for reference and ideas.