permaculture

210 Facilitator’s Handbook for Permaculture Workshops

Field activity : Create productive terraces and swales

Method   :  Participatory   field   activity

Tools : See preparation below

References : PC Book MOD 7 – Farming;

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

PC Book MOD 2 – Natural Patterns and Permaculture Design

Objective : Participants practice creating terraces and/or swales

Preparation

• Identify land that can be used for making terraces or swales.


• Prepare:
  
  
  • A-frames.
  
  
  • Tools for digging and planting the swales.
  
  
  • Legume tree seeds or cuttings, rootstock of pineapple, vetiver grass, lemon
    grass, comfrey, etc.
  
  
  • Mulch material.
  
  
  
  

Running the exercise

Mark out contour lines using an A-frame (See PC Book Module 2), approximately:

• 5m apart on gentle slopes.


• Or, 2-3m apart on steep slopes.

Dig the terraces and/or swales, using the contour lines as a guide. Note: See PC Book

MOD 8 – Forests, Tree Crops, and Bamboo and PC Book MOD 7 – Farming for detailed

information about making swales and terraces.

• Plant the legume tree seeds or cuttings. If water is available they can be planted
  any time, if not this should be done at the beginning or during the wet season.


• Plant the legume tree seeds or cuttings on top of every 2nd swale or on the
  bottom edge of every 2nd terrace, and plant them about 5cm apart – Gliricidia
  or Lueceana are best.


• Vetiver grass, pineapples, comfrey, or lemon grass can be planted instead of
  legume trees on the other swales or terraces.

The legume trees will grow into a thick fence which will prevent erosion and help build

up the soil, as well as provide nitrogen, mulch, and compost materials. Legumes can be

cut back every 1-2 months in the wet season and 1-2 times in the dry season.

The vetiver grass, pineapples, comfrey, and lemon grass will hold the soil and

produce mulch and other products and are especially good for steep slopes.

Vegetable and grain crops can be grown on the terraces or between the swales.

See PC Book MOD 7 – Farming, PC Book MOD 8 - Forests, Tree Crops, and

Bamboo, and other exercises in this book for reference and ideas.

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