In permaculture, trees are at the heart of the design. Trees are oxygen givers, and therefore the giver of life. In the immediate context of rainwater management, trees are important because the roots of the trees open up the soil and build porosity of the ground. Porous soils absorb and soak up water. So rainwater management and tree plantation really go hand in hand.
Trees are miners. They mine minerals from deep within and carry them into their foliage.
Trees also fix nitrogen. Trees help to create a micro climate. Trees give us fruit and medicine. Trees provide a habitat for other species like birds and small animals, who in turn play an important role within the ecosystem. The roots of the trees hold the soil in place, and prevent erosion in the case of heavy rain. The foliage also acts like a big umbrella softening the impact of heavy downpour and preventing it from beating down on the soil. They also give biomass like leaves, twigs, flowers and branches, which fall to the ground and decompose, increasing the organic matter in the soil.
Over time, trees come together to increase the precipitation on the land.
We have planted over 6000 trees at Aanandaa. We started with making a tree list across fruit, native, medicinal and flowering trees. Then we designed the plantation plan - what to place where. It took us 3 - 4 months to dig all the pits, and also reinforce them with cow manure and bone meal. Finally, when the monsoon arrived, we invited our family and friends to join us for a mega tree plantation festival!
1 окт 2024
