Project Proposal - Ridgefield

One Green World Online - Check it out for Edible Landscapes!

I had a chance to see this place first hand.  Its an interesting operation.  They seem to be true edible enthusiasts.  I purchased a huge amount of bare root strawberries of different varieties here.   Virtually all of them have rooted and started growing in far less than optimal weather.  On my 10 acre project in Estacada the owner has already planted many trees and shrubs from One Green World, most of which seem to be doing quite well.

Many of their trees and shrubs are very small.  This is not a problem if you have patience and a green thumb.  Its the species and varieties that they carry which make them such a treasure.  If you are looking for that one plant like 'sea buckthorn' or any other obscure Permaculture perennial, check this place out.  They seem to specialize in temperate perennials but that is not all.  They have a huge catalog of all edible plants.  They mostly all over the U.S. so it would behoove you all to check it out.  Not sure about international.

Proposal - Hollywood District

Dandelion

Would pigs enjoy this dandelion? Does it break up soil? How many times has this plant been topped?  It is quite clear how this is a perennial.  The dandelion is soil busting, mineral mining, great food, and has great roots.

Video on How Composting Toilets are Combating Cholera in Haiti

It is interesting to see how bio-remediation can be such an easy solution to our problems.  As Bill Mollison said 'Though the problems of the world are increasingly complex, the solutions remain embarrassingly simple'.

My Visit to the Healing Ponds Farm - Please Forgive The Formatting!

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Today I visited the Healing Ponds Farm.  Located in the coast range of Western Oregon, it is a 38 acre operation with several ponds and a multitude of animals.  It is run by a charismatic man named Mark who is an animal enthusiast in every sense of the word.  

The farm has a store located in Beaverton, OR where they sell their products.  Included are several invertebrates and their supplies.  Everything one needs for mason bees, nematodes, ladybugs, and red wigglers can be found.  Call ahead at 503-646-6859 for availability.  Share programs for raw milk products and pastured meat are available.  They also sell soap, seed, feed, equipment, eggs, ferment starters, live animals, and much more.

I was greeted at the front gate by a very intimidating, but friendly and enthusastic akbash guardian dog.  This beautiful dog is bred to guard livestock and roams the property freely.  Mark says that he has no predator problems and the dog is essential.

The central thrust of the operation is its fowl.  Turkey, Chicken, Geese, Duck, and Muscovy are found in mixed flocks.  There are several movable forage coops for meat birds on pasture.  The stocking rate for the meat birds was very low and I was pleased to see almost complete ground cover in their paddock.

The laying ducks and geese are furnished with a large half-acre plus pond which is spring fed.  Located around the banks of the pond are small laying houses where the eggs can be easily collected.  The dam of this pond was not provided enough free board and the sides were too steep.  The overall thickness of the dam is not substantial enough and there is a great deal of leakage, requiring a great deal of attention.  Mark is aware of this and is currently working with a specialist to resolve his leakage issue.

Inside this pen below the pond and dam, the turkey and their roost are located close to the house.  Chicken layers are located in octagonal, open aired chicken runs with attached laying houses.

Closer still are the beehives.  Located on top of a hugelkultur bed, they have a prominent position, which gives them access to our infrequent winter sunlight.  Even in late winter, they can be seen coming and going.   These Warre hives are more square than the far more recognizable Langstroth hive.  Their advantages are that they provide a simple top bar with a triangular attachment.  The bees are allowed to build their own comb at the size they choose.  This helps them combat many of the common ailments they have such as tracheal mites and varroa mites.  The comb is not reused, which further helps the bees to keep their hive clean, healthy, and free of toxin build up.

The farm also has goats, sheep, pigs, and cattle for both milking and meat.  I had the pleasure of seeing two small goat kids just hours old.  Grass cover in some of the paddocks was patchy and drainage poor in our clay soils.  No doubt the situation will be drastically improved as summer comes.  A classic pig aerator very similar to that described by Joel Salatin was one of the first things that I saw as I walked in.  This pig is feeding on pungeant, fermenting bred buried within the compost.  Mmmmm yummie!

In this classic scenario, the goats have been put in a pen full of blackberry bramble.  While the other blackberry patches in Oregon still have leaves, these ones have been savaged and are nothing more than sticks.  Mark says that they do the job thoroughly and completely.  Goats are an underused resource in the battle against this highly invasive and destructive species.  Goats are notorious for eating just about anything.  Even the bark and the lower branches of these pine trees did not escape! 

Two connected geodesic greenhouse domes had aquaponics systems, which were unfortunately idle.   But the system was well designed for heat retention and thermal mass.  It was quite warm inside despite being in the 40’s.   The house was also designed for thermal mass and low energy consumption.  It was very comfortable. 

Windows allow sunlight in which easily heats the house.  Vents in the roof and side windows of the sun room take advantage of prevailing winds and thermal convection to remove excess summer heat.  Its one of the better designed systems I have seen.  The fireplace provides the needed thermal mass despite no sign of a fire going. 

If you are in the Portland/Beaverton are I encourage you to make the trip to the Healing Ponds Farm and Garden store.   Its hard to capture the essence of the entire place but I was pleased to see paddock rotation at work.  Its difficult to see what this land is capable of when grass growth is so slow during the winter.  But no doubt accelerated grass growth will help to mitigate drainage and compaction problems in the clay soil.  I hope to see this farm again when the paddock system is its its full summer glory.  

Mark has plans on expanding one of his paddocks into a large garden and move into produce production.  Diversification is a key factor in both business and ecology.  This will no doubt be a wise move for the farm.  Please take the time to visit the Healing Ponds Farm and Gardern Store website to see everything that they have to offer. 

Gypsy Moth Problem Beginning To Resolve Itself

Try not to interfere and nature will find a way.  Gypsy moths are succumbing to their own natural pathogens, which have followed them from overseas.  A deadly fungus, which is spread via spores on the wind and a virus spread by physical contact, are helping to put this invasive species in check.  Additionally, parasitic flies, which target the caterpillars, are helping to spread the pathogens even faster.

How does this connect to your garden or food forest?  Allow biological pestilence to resolve itself whenever possible.  Don't freak out at the first sign of aphids or hoppers and start spraying and dusting everything.  Doing so often does more harm than good.  You will end up killing many of your natural controls.  If a particular pathogen or pest is affecting your plants, are you doing enough to diversify your stock or provide competition from other fungi or bacteria?

If you have healthy habitat and biodiversity, then predators and other population controls will balance things out.  You should never expect to rid yourself of every last grasshopper or flea beetle, but you can render them relatively harmless by having a diversity of plants, animals, insects, fungi, and bacteria to begin with.  For every pathogen, there exists a biological control.  In some cases, the control will be extinction of the host.  But with diversity, this will not matter that much in the long run.  

Why spend all your time fighting the inevitable?  Allow nature to do the work for you.  If a pest exists in an environment long enough, it will eventually be mitigated.  Whether it be by disease, birds, insects, or a multitude of other reasons, the result is eventually the same.  With aphids this can happen in the course of a couple weeks.  In some cases it may take a couple of years, but it will happen.  Since gypsy moths are invasive and from another continent it took a little longer.  However, even they are succumbing to the inevitable.

http://phys.org/news195325791.html
http://phys.org/news/2011-09-viral-gene-sick-gypsy-moth.html

Picture Citation:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aleiodes_indiscretus_wasp_parasitizing_gypsy_moth_caterpillar.jpg

Aquatic Earthworms Play A Role In Rice Cultivation

This is something I have not heard of before but it makes sense.  There is a place called Workman Creek in the Sierra Ancha mountains of Arizona that I used to visit every summer.  It is an extremely rich environment within an old growth forest.  The creek is virtually choked with woody debris.

The picture shown on the left is something I saw on at least four occasions that I can remember.  Are these aquatic earthworms?  I am not sure to be honest.  But seeing them repeatedly leads me to believe that this is normal.

Evidently similar aquatic eathworms play an importand role in rice cultivation.  It makes sense that their actions would help to cycle nutrients into a form usable by the rice and and prevent stagnation by oxygenating the muddy soil.  When combined with aquaculture, they surely provide food for fish, birds, crayfish, and a multitude of other creatures as well.  Everyone knows the benefits of worm castings in the garden.  There is no reason to believe they aren't just as magic in aquatic environments.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130206121322.htm

More on Beavers and Trophic Cascade - Wolves, Elk, Willow, Beavers, and Geese

Unfortunately, it appears that simply bringing wolves back into Yellowstone is not enough to repair the the beaver population:

http://phys.org/news/2013-02-yellowstone-ecosystem-wolves-willows-elk.html

 

Let me explain from the beginning.  Wolves had been completely extirpated from Yellowstone by 1926.  This had a two-fold effect on elk within the park.

First off, the elk population skyrocketed.  With no predators to cull the herd, the population grew unchecked. This was in fact the intention at the time, but is an ill founded concept.  It was shown by a famous account from Aldo Leopold that the mule deer population exploded after the removal of predators from the Grand Canyon in the early 1900's.  Over browsing destroyed the ecosystem and the population soon crashed.  To further exacerbate the issue, the land has now been so damaged that the overall carrying capacity for mule deer and other herbivores has been greatly diminished.

Aldo Leopold on Trophic Cascades:

http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/22138/RippleWilliam.FERM.LinkingWolvesPlants.pdf?sequence=1

A similar incident has taken place in Zion National Park.  Riparian cottonwood forests have been greatly diminished and the ability of the park to support grazing and browsing animals has been damaged.

Impact of a cougar decline on Zion Canyon, Zion National Park:

http://www.nature.nps.gov/parkscience/index.cfm?ArticleID=318&ArticleTypeID=28

Similar studies have taken place in Wisconsin.  So this is a well studied issue.

The second effect was that the eating habits of the elk changed.  Previously, they had avoided areas with thick cover where predators could hide, such as aspen and willow forests.  Sticking to open pastures and meadows allowed them more time to react to approaching wolves.  Without fear of predators, elk were free to move in and apply additional pressure to sapling regeneration.  As the trees aged and began to decline, they were not replaced by younger trees.

Of special importance in this instance is willow.  Willow are a species of tree which help to engineer their own environment.  Willow slows down streams and prevents erosion.  Their absence has caused streams to create deeper gullies and speed up as erosion increases.  Willows need slow moving water to establish themselves.  So this cycle is self reinforcing, without slow water, there is no willow and without willow, there is no slow water.

What does this mean?  This affects ground water and stream side plant communities.  Water quality is diminished by more silt and temperatures rise without tree cover.  This affects the ecology within the streams all the way to the microbial level.

But most of all it affects the ability of beavers to move back into the environment.  Beavers cannot function in fast moving streams and must have a certain set of circumstances present before they can do their job.  Without willow, the right conditions for beavers are not present.  Since they help engineer their own environment in the same way that willow does, their absence also negatively reinforces their ability to move back into the environment once gone.

It is not just a simple matter of reintroducing wolves and watching everything go back to the way it was.  Trophic Cascades are far more complicated than that.  In this case the lands ability to 'carry' beavers has been greatly diminished.  That is not to say that there has not been SOME recovery, but it just has not been what they hoped for.  Some areas may take longer and others may be permanently unable to provide beaver habitat.

Since beavers have such a monumental effect on riparian ecology and forest dynamics, this affects the entire system.  Populations of aquatic invertebrates and fish like trout may be affected.  Migrating birds and waterfowl like geese have less habitat:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130213132328.htm

Other terrestrial birds, rodents, and invertebrates may be affected by loss of nesting trees and food sources.  Vegetation regimes are greatly altered and the list goes on and on.

This is the essence of a Trophic Cascade.

See our previous entry on the importance of beavers in their ecosystem:

http://agroregeneration.blogspot.com/2013/01/beavers-are-engineers-of-structural.html

Picture Citation: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Longford_Stream_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1398014.jpg

One Species of Bacteria Plays a Major Role in the Carbon Cycle

New discoveries are being made about a certain species of bacteria which plays a major role in the carbon cycle.  Its so important that changes in population density can actually effect atmospheric composition and disrupt food chains in the ocean.

It turns out that there is a particular species of virus which keeps this bacteria in check.  This constant pressure from the virus keeps the bacterial population steady. Interesting how something this important could be missed for so long but its not at all suprising to those that have an understading of ecology.

Making new discoveries like this just goes to show how infinitely complex ecology and nutrient cycling can be.  Seems dangerous to assume that disrupting ecology is OK in light of continued discoveries such as this.  Every time we think we 'get it' it turns out we are missing major pieces of the puzzle.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130213132323.htm

Excellent Paper on Landscape Scale Polyculture

This is a really interesting paper I found on Polyculture.   It was dedicated to Bill Mollison.  Australia just seems to be light years ahead of everyone else when it comes to this stuff.  There is a bit of scientific jargon in there but its done in a way that is still easy to understand.  It could be a great reference resource for landscape-scale planning.  Its a PDF so enjoy!

Polyculture Production Principles - Benefits and Risks of Multiple Cropping Land Management Systems for Australia

Picture Citation: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Intercropping_coffee_tomatoes.jpg

Crop Residues May Produce Energy - But Is This Really The Path We Want To Take?

One of the last ways we can still naturally protect and create soil is through agricultural residue.  Existing soil is protected and nutrients are recharged by using this age old practice.  Even this meager resource is now at risk.  Don't get me wrong, its not that I can't appreciate the idea of utilizing all your resources and not being wasteful.  But in a system that is already so extractive to begin with, do we really want to take the last bit of organic matter out of the system?  I suppose that the land is probably so damaged at this point that it doesn't really matter.  Its nothing but a sponge for chemicals.  But it definitely highlights the fact that we are STILL moving in the wrong direction.

I would certainly rather they do this than to open new crop lands for ethanol.  But, bio fuel is a trojan horse plain and simple.  It is just not a viable solution to our energy issues.  There is no way that we can produce enough bio fuel to make a real difference without opening vast new tracks of farmland and/or increasing food prices dramatically.  It still emits CO2 and its simply a way to perpetuate the combustion economy while appearing to be 'green'.  The fact is that bio fuel can be MORE harmful than oil.  It takes more energy to make than it produces and would further stretch our dwindling resources.  Even if they don't open new farmland to this process, the crop residue they are using will just need to be replaced with MORE PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS BYPRODUCTS!

So how is this helping anything?  We need to stop thinking in an extractive way and start thinking in a more regenerative way.  We need to think about extending the energy we do have and using less of it.  That is the technology that is going to make a difference.  We need to invest in sources of energy that keep on giving.  We must change the way we use energy by capturing the energy that is all around us.  We must reorganize our economy and distribution to use the least amount of energy possible.  Lastly, we must take responsibility for our OWN food and energy needs.  This is more than possible and it is the only way to get away from this mega-centralized, Soviet-style energy and agriculture system we are addicted to.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130131121022.htm

Picture citation: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2004_0609_Italian_ryegrass_cover_crop

Aquaponics Paludarium running 6 years now...

This my demonstration paludarium.  Its been running for about 6 years now.  It incorporates terrestrial, marginal, vertical, and aquatic elements.  Its made from 40 gallon tall glass tank which was drilled for an overflow and return.  Originally the pump was in a compartment underneath the terrestrial area but getting to it for any maintenance proved too difficult.  The solution was to build a sump tank (seen below).  There is a drip filter with bio balls, a sponge filter, and the rest of the substrate is hydroton clay balls.  There are guppies and a goldfish in the aquatic area and canyon tree frogs in the terrestrial area.  The plants are cilantro, philodendron, and bamboo. 

The canyon tree frogs are native to Arizona.  This one is 4 years old and still kicking.

Here is a side view.  There were agave in the cracks of the cork which is attached to the back wall.  These became too large and had to be removed.  I once had mint but it became too aggressive.  I also had a yucca which oddly enough did very well in the marginal area where its feet were always wet.  This eventually became too large as well.  The aquatic plants are anubias, red dragon, and bunching crypts.  I rarely ever change the water.  I feed insects to the fish and frogs.  Their manure fertilizes the plants.  When I clear out plants I am effectively 'cleaning' out excess nutrients.  I then feed the plants to my insect cultures and the cycle starts over.  The insects also process my food scraps.

For a picture of my roach culture see here: http://agroregeneration.blogspot.com/2012/07/blaptica-dubia-feeder-roach.html

Science Daily is Confused on Some Issues

I was actually going to write a whole article (and may still) on the many uses of willow.  But I came across all these articles that just had my head spinning by the time I was done reading them.  Evidently, Science Daily is very confused about both African savannahs and bio fuel.  I could go on posting other links, this is just the tip of the iceberg.  

What are your thoughts on this matter?  My guess is probably that fuel wood is being depleted in Africa and biofuel, while more than possible, is a trojan horse which will cause far more damage than good.  Isn't it time we move past combustion as an energy source anyway?  

Perhaps its time they stopped being so damned impartial and actually do a little investigation and research of their own!  Its not like I expect you to be out there with test tubes and sample jars.  Just explain how these articles relate to each other! 

I realize these summaries are from different viewpoints, timelines, dates, regions, and data.  I don't doubt that there is evidence to support all of these arguments.  But wow, if you are going to do a summary of each one, can we at least get a little bit of consensus?  Can we refer to other articles that WE have posted and perhaps explain their relevance to the subject in the light of the new data WE are presenting now?

At least I know that I can trust them to be impartial.  Really, really, impartial..... 

Savanna Study Highlights African Fuelwood Crisis

Africa's Savannas May Become Forests by 2100, Study Suggests

Savannas and Forests in a Battle of the Biomes

Photovoltaics Beat Biofuels at Converting Sun's Energy to Miles Driven

Wind in the Willows Boosts Biofuel Production: Trees Grown Diagonally Produce Five Times More Biofuel

Cost-Effectiveness of Biofuels and Their Ability to Cut Fossil Fuel Use Questioned

Environmental Benefit of Biofuels Is Overestimated, New Study Reveals

Algae Biofuels: The Wave of the Future

Portland State University Using BSF To Process Organic Waste

Evidently Portland State University is experimenting with using black soldier fly larvae aka 'BSF' to process organic waste on a large scale.  They really offer so many benefits its difficult to understand why this has not happened long ago.  We have posted about BSF before.  They are amazingly efficient and produce incredible amounts of protein.

Ladies and Gentlemen - The Amazing Black Soldier Fly

Beavers are Engineers of Structural Complexity and Biodiversity

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beavers_work.jpg

I find the link to the article below interesting since it seems to concentrate on how we can restore streams by mimicking beaver behavior.  Why not just bring beavers back into the landscape and they will take care of the job themselves?  This is a fundamental flaw in our way of thinking.  Even conservationists can fall into this trap.  If something has to be managed, then there is probably a better way of doing it.  Better to engineer an environment fit for the engineer, than to do the engineering yourself.  Humans should be the administration, not the labor.

Either way the article does stress how important beavers can be in the landscape.  This is something that anyone interested in nature knows to a certain degree.  They create ponds, braided channels, log jams, and add huge amounts of woody debris to streams and rivers.  Their actions create environmental complexity which greatly increases aquatic biodiversity.  They play a fundamental part in hydrology and recharge the water table.  They also play a fundamental role in riparian forest dynamics, creating structural diversity and keeping the forest in a state of flux.  There are entire ecological communities that depend almost completely on the actions of the beaver, making them a cornerstone species.

The fact that broad scale ecology-based agriculture tends to rely so heavily on retention ponds just stresses this fact even further.  Keyline design relies heavily on the retention of water in the landscape.  The idea is to keep it there as long as possible so it can percolate into the ground, recharging aquifers and smoothing out flood regimes.  These ponds and channels are often used for fish and plant aquaculture and to provide water for livestock.  Recharging the aquifers also increases plant growth and can create perennial water ways out of seasonal ones.  Biodiversity and micro climates are increased along with drought resistance. 

These are all benefits provided by beavers but even Keyline cannot provide all the services that beavers do.  Ultimately, Keyline is static while beaver activity is constantly in flux.  Keyline does not include the organic component of wood in the process, a major part of structural diversity and nutrient cycles.  It also does not include the forestry activities of beavers.  We can continue to try and engineer our way out of our problems, but isn't that what got us into them in the first place?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110103110331.htm

Permaculture Introduction by Jack Spirko

Jack is a dyed-in-the-wool survivalist in the truest sense of the word.  He has all the traditional values of a American survivalist.  Even if you don't agree with all of his themes, you will find his Podcast and his Video Series to be a very informative on ecology based farming methods and land use.  His pragmatic approach can appeal to those of all persuasions.  He is extremely intelligent, articulate, and has an incredible wealth of information.  This is the first of a series of many videos on his youtube site.  Please check out his podcast as well.  Its has many survivalist themes but hundreds of references to permaculture, ecology, and land developement.  With over 1000 podcasts, he has something for everyone and you can easily search for what you are interested in.   So don't let politics deter you from using this guy as a resource!

Here is the video:

Here is his podcast:

http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/

The search field is in the top right hand corner.

EU considering ban on major pesticides

This is good news to everyone because it sets a great precedent.  I am not going to elaborate too much.  The title of th actual article is more sensationalist than reality.  The EU is considering a ban on neonicotinoides.  These are only a portion of the pesticides in use but are some of the most harmful.  Lobby action has prevented this for a long time and Europe is ahead of us on this issue.

http://phys.org/news/2013-01-eu-hints-insecticide-threat-bees.html

More on Forest Death vs Logging and Nutrient Cycling - Hugelkultur?

More on dead forests versus logging and Nitrogen runoff.  These Eastern forests have suffered extensive die off from the wooly adelgid.  They are seeing they same kind of nitrogen uptake by the surrounding plants as in beetle killed forests in the west.  In this scenario the nutrients leaching out of the dead wood are allowing the surrounding plants to take up the excess Nitrogen.  Since the dead wood is being left in this case just as beetle kill, is this scenario playing out in Western forests as well?  Just another part of the puzzle. This just goes to show that there really is more than one reason for this Nitrogen uptake and why leaving behind woody biomass is so important.  Logging can be very extractive and non-renewable if done incorrectly.  I cannot help but think that the remaining wood is also taking up Nitrogen as it decomposes just as it does in hugelkultur.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121220143949.htm

See original and more extensive commentary on the beetle kill article here..

http://agroregeneration.blogspot.com/2013/01/lessons-in-hugelkultur-and-nutrient.html

Lessons in Hugelkultur and Nutrient Cycling - Beetle Kill harms far less than Logging

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bayerischer_wald_kahlgefressen.jpg

This article shows how much natural disturbance a forest can actually take.  With an intact understory, forests can be extremely resilient.  When logging takes place, adjacent streams show up to a 400% increase in Nitrogen runoff.  However, a stand replacing beetle infestation shows very little increase in nitrogen in adjacent water ways.

Research shows that even though the entire over story may be killed off, the understory remains relatively undisturbed along with soil conditions.  Lack of competition releases understory vegetation and smaller trees left over from the initial die off.  Growth accelerates and nutrient runoff is utilized by the plants instead of washing into streams.

This all makes perfect sense and I have no arguments with their assessment.  But I think there is a larger scenario playing out here.  It is quite obvious that beetle kill leaves behind ALL woody biomass.  This wood may remain standing at first but will soon fall prey to wind throw.  Since logging removes most of the woody biomass and what remains is insignificant or burned, there is no wood left to absorb the Nitrogen.  Not only is all woody biomass removed, the understory is heavily damaged as well.

In forests affected by beetle kill, damage happens more slowly.  Structural diversity on the forest floor in unaffected.  Hillsides are stabilized and runoff patterns remain mostly unchanged.  Since this water is still moving through downed woody debris, does it not make sense that the influx of dead, woody biomass is also absorbing a portion of this Nitrogen?  If the understory is not taking up all this remaining Nitrogen, maybe the dead wood is.  Or maybe the wood is taking up the majority of the Nitrogen and releasing it to the understory as it decays.  Just as in Hugelkultur!

More information is required to make this assessment but it is an intriguing possibility.  Nutrient cycles are incredibly complex and other factors could play into it as well.  It could be that the intact soil bank is absorbing some of this Nitrogen.  Or it could be the huge increase in fungal mycelium which is likely to colonize all the newly available dead wood.  Even fungal mycelium in standing tree trunks can absorb nutrients from the ground.  But these trees won't remain standing for long and no doubt begin falling almost immediately.  All these are forms of bioremediation which are useful to ecological farmers and those working in natural resources. This information could be incredibly useful in adjusting logging practices to alleviate water quality issues.

http://phys.org/news/2013-01-beetle-outbreak-buffers-watersheds-nitrate.html

Honey bee behavior changes in the presence of endemic pollinators

Research shows that with no additional inputs, pollination and fruit set were increased in the presence of endemic pollinators.  This much makes perfect sense and is what one would expect to hear.  But the more intriguing discovery was that domestic honey bee behavior also changes in the presence of other pollinators.

The studies findings showed that honey bees normally spend the majority of their time in the upper crown of the tree.  However, when other pollinators were present they moved into the lower portion of the canopy.  In this respect the overall efficiency of the honey bees was increased.

They also found that endemic pollinators were commonly able to operate in lower temperatures and in higher winds than honey bees.  This makes overall pollination services more resilient in the face of less than optimum weather conditions.  This is extremely important in early flowering crops such as almonds, which may bloom when weather conditions are not as favorable for honey bees.

The inter-species relationships and population dynamics of insects are extremely complex and fragile.  This is a little understood area of agricultural science and is one that we have posted on before.  Ultimately, species diversity is the key to agricultural resilience.  In all studies fruit set and yield were increased with no additional inputs or agricultural intensity.  An intact ecology provides the most benefit for the least work, while providing habitat as well.  Insect diversity is a cornerstone part of this and without healthy insect populations, the local ecology suffers greatly.

The study was conducted by researches at 3 different universities: UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and Leuphana University of Lüneburg.

http://phys.org/news/2013-01-biodiversity-important-pollination-california-almond.html

The study by researchers in Germany at Leuphana University of Lüneburg and California at UC Berkeley and Davis

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-01-biodiversity-important-pollination-california-almond.html#jCp

This honey bee behaviour changed and their pollination effectiveness was greater than in orchards where other bees were absent. Furthermore, orchards with wild bees had a greater proportion fruit set. These findings show that wild pollinators not only contribute directly to almond pollination, but also indirectly through increasing the pollination service provided by the honey bees. A second study in the same system published in Global Change Biology (27 Nov 2012)2 found two other mechanisms by which pollinator diversity improved pollination service to almond. Firstly, they found that honey bees preferred to visit flowers in the top parts of the almond trees. Where wild pollinators were present, they often visited the lower parts of the trees, filling the gap in pollination service left by the honey bees. Secondly, in high winds, orchards with only honey bees present had almost no pollination service as the honey bees were not flying. In orchards with a diversity of pollinators, pollination service was buffered to an extent by the wild bees. Two new studies show why biodiversity is important for pollination services in California almond This image shows honey beehives in an almond orchard. Credit: C. Brittain During high winds, the wild bees were still observed visiting almond flowers. Wild pollinators can therefore help sustain pollination service under extreme weather conditions, when the service by honey bees declines. This is particularly important in almond as it flowers early in the year when the weather conditions can be unfavourable for bee flight.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-01-biodiversity-important-pollination-california-almond.html#jCp]\l;kjfdksahf

honey bee behaviour changed and their pollination effectiveness was greater than in orchards where other bees were absent. Furthermore, orchards with wild bees had a greater proportion fruit set. These findings show that wild pollinators not only contribute directly to almond pollination, but also indirectly through increasing the pollination service provided by the honey bees. A second study in the same system published in Global Change Biology (27 Nov 2012)2 found two other mechanisms by which pollinator diversity improved pollination service to almond. Firstly, they found that honey bees preferred to visit flowers in the top parts of the almond trees. Where wild pollinators were present, they often visited the lower parts of the trees, filling the gap in pollination service left by the honey bees. Secondly, in high winds, orchards with only honey bees present had almost no pollination service as the honey bees were not flying. In orchards with a diversity of pollinators, pollination service was buffered to an extent by the wild bees. Two new studies show why biodiversity is important for pollination services in California almond This image shows honey beehives in an almond orchard. Credit: C. Brittain During high winds, the wild bees were still observed visiting almond flowers. Wild pollinators can therefore help sustain pollination service under extreme weather conditions, when the service by honey bees declines. This is particularly important in almond as it flowers early in the year when the weather conditions can be unfavourable for bee flight.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-01-biodiversity-important-pollination-california-almond.html#jCp

Plant Diversity is Key to Maintaining Productive Systems

This is something we all know as proponents of ecology-based agriculture. Unfortunately, economies work on instant gratification and developing productive systems can take decades. Because of this, short term studies have yielded results saying that 6 or 8 species is the maximum needed to achieve this benefit. These studies lasted a paltry two years. This new study is in its 14th year and counting. The most biodiverse plot carries 16 species and shows that on a longer time scale, maximum biodiversity yields maximum benefit. Much of this may have to do with insect and bird biodiversity as well.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503142638.htm

Non-beneficial insects help attract predators for pest insects

A healthy insect population is a cornerstone component of a balanced ecology. With healthy, sustainable insect populations we cannot pick and choose the insects that we keep and those we discard. We must do what we can to attract as many and as large a variety as possible. Simply attracting or releasing a few predators and ignoring their food source is not a solution. This article shows how insect 'tourists' and even plants which trap insects and prevent them from leaving, can have incredible results on particular pest populations. The experiment they performed is great evidence.

phys.org/news/2013-01-insect-tourists-good.html

We have posted on insect population dynamics before. Population dynamics in insect communities are EXTREMELY complicated and our simplistic view of them can be very can be very harmful to our inteded outcome.

agroregeneration.blogspot.com/2012/08/study-demonstrates-that-one-extinction.html

Biodiversity crowdsourcing helps countries map useful species

After losing their sturgeon fishery, the Romanian town of Sfantu Gheorghe turned to biodiversity crowd sourcing in an attempt to find other means of maintaining their economy. What they found is Sea Buckthorn, a plant we are all familiar with. This type of technology could be used in conjunction with community activism to locate areas that need protection, restoration, or have the potential for agriculture and forestry. Its not only a way of of locating environmental potential, but also economic potential. All the while one can cross reference other species in the area and find out how they may affect or be affected by this process. What a wonderful tool! Does North America have anything like this?

The European crowd sourcing site is http://www.naturalliance.eu/home.aspx?selectculture=true

Here is an article on the Romanian town phys.org/news/2013-01-naturalliance-crowdsourcing-solutions-riches-nature.html

Marginal habitat can provide a refuge from competing species

As long as islands of marginal habitat can remain (or be) connected, threatened or introduced plants can coexist with their competitors.   Ecology based agriculture is based in part on biodiversity and this is the type of insight that can help one maintain it. Not only can survival of natives be insured, but also the survival of introduced species.  Who would have thought that marginal habitat could be a haven for species persistence?   The important part is that these islands of habitat must remain CONNECTED or they become vulnerable to local extinction events.

http://phys.org/news/2013-01-invading-species-extinguish-native.html

Ancient desert city of Petra practiced sustainable terrace farming for 1000 years

Petra was a rich city and an important strategic conquest for Rome. They practiced food forestry with terraces for a 1000 years. They used intelligent water harvesting methods to irrigate their crops and supply the town with drinking water. Many of their techniques used gravity feed, keyline style methods. Their long term success in a hyper arid environment shows how sustainable keyline design and foood forestry can be. Some of the terminology used in the article reminds me of Geoff Lawton, the man who greened the Jordan desert.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130102140443.htm

Planetary System Confirmed in Alpha Centauri

What does this have to do with ecology based agriculture?  Nothing really!  But its a MAJOR discovery.  Alpha Centauri B is a component of the closest star system to the sun at just over 4ly away.  Since terrestrial planets usually come in groups this means that there could be other planets in the system, some of which may be in the habitable zone.  Don't get too excited though.  Even our fastest spacecraft would still take thousands of years to get there.  We have a long way to go before we have the technology to explore this new world and its possible companions.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121016184436.htm

Article claims little evidence of health benefits from organic produce - OK

There may be something to this when regarding the fact that many organic foods are grown exactly the same way as non-organic, just without the chemicals.  I have seen some incredibly damaging organic farming outfits.  If something is grown in a monoculture pulse with depleted soils it can be nearly as damaging and unhealthy as production agriculture.  If the soil is depleted and damaged the food is probably not going to be that healthy.  The part I find especially interesting is a comment that another blogger made "Do a tiny amount of digging, about 10 mintues worth, and you find an excessive amount of crossover and revolving doors between Castlight and (wait for it...) Monsanto Company."  Go figure right?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120903221122.htm

More on the Drought in the United States

This just continues to highlight the fact that we need to rethink our entire water strategy...

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/15/us/drought-impact/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

The Worst Idea Ever - Geoengineering

The latest geoengineering idea to combat global warming is both a ridiculous and dangerous.  While I do not see something so dumb ever getting past the drawing board, the notion of geoengineering general seems to keep popping up at a frightening level.  Does anyone see the problem in engineering our way out of a problem we engineered our way into?  In this case, the plan is to spray tonnes of aerosols into the upper atmosphere to reflect sunlight back out into space.  Our lack of understanding in the way nature works is what got us into this mess in the first place.  Further complicating the issue with more unnatural means does not seem like the solution.  Why not just attack the cause?  This would basically give industry license to emit as much as they want as long as they spray enough aerosols to mitigate their warming effect.  It is a reckless and stupid endeavor.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120830191017.htm

Deforestation Decreases Rainfall

Anyone who understands hydrology cycles knows that forest and plant cover, along with associative transpiration, is critical in the formation of long term climate stability in both medium and large scale precipitation patterns.  Deforestation and modern agriculture have decreased transpiration and soil drought resilience to the point that desertification is affecting large swaths of territory.  Feedback loops further exacerbate the ever increasing problem.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120905135008.htm

Part 1 Grand Master Beekeeper Don the FatBeeMan on Naturalizing and Avoiding Chemicals listen while you work or Facebook!

Organically Managed Beekeeping Podcast interview with Grand Master Beekeeper Don the FatBeeMan part 1.  Discussion topics include Naturalizing Bees, Small Cell Beekeeping, Avoiding Chemicals and much more.  He has 50+ years using alternative beekeeping methods and is a wealth of knowledge.  Listen while you work or Facebook!  Check out his YouTube Channel for more information.

http://somdbeekeeper.com/2011/01/15/podcast-episode-18-meet-don-the-fatbeeman/

Matt Reed from BeeThinking.com discusses Top Bar Hives on The Organically Managed Bee Keeping Podcast listen while you work or Facebook!

Matt Reed from http://www.beethinking.com/ discusses Top Bar Hives on The Organically Managed Bee Keeping Podcast.  Listen while you work or Facebook!  Top Bar Hives offer an alternative style of beekeeping which allows the bees to build their own comb in a more natural way.

http://somdbeekeeper.com/2011/11/21/episode-22-top-bar-hive-style-beekeeping/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+somdbk+%28Pragmatic+Beekeeping+Podcast%29

Michael Bush on the Organically Managed Beekeeping Podcast listen while you work of Facebook!

Michael Bush is a legend in the Natural Beekeeping movement.  Whether you are an aspiring beekeeper or an experienced one looking to move to more natural methods, Michael is a wealth of knowledge.

http://somdbeekeeper.com/2011/12/23/podcast-episode-23-the-practical-beekeeper/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+somdbk+%28Pragmatic+Beekeeping+Podcast%29

Dr. Lee Reich and Jack Spirko discuss Growing Fruit Naturally listen while your work of Facebook!

Dr. Lee Reich and Jack Spirko discuss growing fruit naturally, eating fresh fruit during the winter, and extending your harvest.

http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/reich-growing-fruit-naturally

Part 5 Model Watershed Keyline Design at the Beach

Darren Doherty creates a model watershed at the beach to explain Keyline Design.  For those of you having trouble understanding what Keyline Design is, this is a very visual explanation.

Part 4 Model Watershed Keyline Design at the Beach

Darren Doherty creates a model watershed at the beach to explain Keyline Design.  For those of you having trouble understanding what Keyline Design is, this is a very visual explanation.

Part 3 Model Watershed Keyline Design at the Beach

Darren Doherty creates a model watershed at the beach to explain Keyline Design.  For those of you having trouble understanding what Keyline Design is, this is a very visual explanation.

Part 2 Model Watershed Keyline Design at the Beach

Darren Doherty creates a model watershed at the beach to explain Keyline Design.  For those of you having trouble understanding what Keyline Design is, this is a very visual explanation.

Part 1 Model Watershed Keyline Design at the Beach

Darren Doherty creates a model watershed at the beach to explain Keyline Design.  For those of you having trouble understanding what Keyline Design is, this is a very visual explanation.

Rx for the Biosphere part 21 Darren Doherty

Rx for the Biosphere part 21 Final Installment Darren Doherty on Water Harvesting, Carbon Farming, and Soil Building.  See our blog to start at the beginning.  This is important information on whole systems design and range management.

Rx for the Biosphere part 20 Darren Doherty

Rx for the Biosphere part 20 Darren Doherty on Water Harvesting, Carbon Farming, and Soil Building.

Rx for the Biosphere part 19 Darren Doherty

Rx for the Biosphere part 19 Darren Doherty on Water Harvesting, Carbon Farming, and Soil Building.

Rx for the Biosphere part 18 Darren Doherty

Rx for the Biosphere part 18 Darren Doherty on Water Harvesting, Carbon Farming, and Soil Building.

Rx for the Biosphere part 17 Darren Doherty

Rx for the Biosphere part 17 Darren Doherty on Water Harvesting, Carbon Farming, and Soil Building.

Rx for the Biosphere part 16 Darren Doherty

Rx for the Biosphere part 16 Darren Doherty on Water Harvesting, Carbon Farming, and Drought Resilience.  You can find the entire series here on Agroregeneration.

My new home... The Pacific Northwest...

Time lapse video of selected locations in the Pacific Northwest.  Beautiful.

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-837370?hpt=hp_bn10

Rx for the Biosphere part 15 with Darren Doherty

Darren continues his outstanding lecture on carbon farming, keyline water harvesting, building soil, and improving drought resilience. Statistics on the financial damage of modern agriculture.

Rx for the Biosphere part 14 with Darren Doherty

Darren continues his outstanding lecture on carbon farming, keyline water harvesting, building soil, and improving drought resilience.

Rx for the Biosphere part 13 with Darren Doherty

Darren continues his outstanding lecture on carbon farming, keyline water harvesting, building soil, and improving drought resilience.

Rx for the Biosphere part 12 with Darren Doherty

Darren continues his outstanding lecture on carbon farming, keyline water harvesting, building soil, and improving drought resilience.

Rx for the Biosphere part 11 with Darren Doherty

Darren continues his outstanding lecture on carbon farming, keyline water harvesting, building soil, and improving drought resilience.

Jack Spirko great podcast on Homestead Site Selection and Cheap Options for Developement from a Survivalist Perspective

http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/homestead-or-bol-long-haul