Sustainable Land Development Today - February 2008 - (Page 32) NEW PRODUCT “A drainage ditch that treats roof runoff at the Santo Domingo church in Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, Mexico. The orientation of the rock allows for better infiltration and less splashing. Courtesy of Julia Etra, CPESC. into the plant roots, depending on the type of mycorrhiza. Like the microorganisms in BSCs, it is symbiotic. “The net affect is it increases the surface area of the root exponentially,” Etra said, and therefore the plants’ capacity to take up water and nutrients. In return, the fungi benefit from the carbohydrates produced by the plant through photosynthesis. “One thing I try to do is encourage people to look at their disturbed sites and see what’s in the soil. Is there bacteria? Is there fungi? Then compare it to a good site,” she said. A cautionary note: not all fungi are created equal. The quality of commercial mycorrhiza is not regulated like seed for planting. There are different varieties of this age-old and beneficial fungus which are adapted to different plants. When buying a commercially produced mix, ask questions. “It might be loaded with all kinds of mycorrhiza, but a lot of them may be inappropriate for your use,” Etra said. A Change in Course The commonality between these two types of products—BSCs and mycorrhiza—is that they are naturally occurring organisms that symbiotically support plant life, making them sustainable. They are also cost effective. In the process, they provide levels of erosion control and aid native and adaptive species to thrive and hold soil in place. That is the future for erosion control, according to Etra. She maintains that these types of products—besides their immediate, on-site benefits--provide an alternative to standard commercial fertilizers, which should be phased out because of the demands they pose on two critical global resources. “If you look at the enormous amount of energy and water that it takes to produce them, many of our environmental problems are caused by our over use of fertilizers,” she said. “Our tools can become pollutants.” SLDT About the author: Rob Kundert is senior editor of Sustainable Land Development Today. Third World Solutions Travel to other countries can be an eyeopening experience in terms of erosion control and water quality. Simple solutions can be seen that have been used for centuries to allow water to infiltrate the soil or be cleaned. One example is aligning stones perpendicularly instead of flat, to cut down on splash and allow more infiltration. Another example is the use of stone-lined basins, which are as attractive as they are functional, to captured stormwater. As it courses through them, it is cleaned before it eventually makes its way to the ocean. “There are a lot of things out there,” Etra said. “I think sometimes, since we are so regulated in the U.S., we look for hightech solutions. Sometimes there are lowtech solutions that are perfectly fine.” Does the Cold and Wet Season Put Your Projects Behind Schedule? Feb 6 Feb 7 Feb 27 Feb 28 Mar 5 Mar 6 Atlanta, GA Charlotte, NC Fredericksburg, VA Baltimore, MD Cincinnati, OH Louisville, KY Land Development breakthroughs Best Practices Workshops SITE SOIL MANAGEMENT Excessively wet soils are a costly setback in land development especially during cold and wet seasons. Industry specialists who do the work will educate developers, builders, contractors, engineers and project managers on the use of lime to dry and improve construction site soil. Learn how to avoid missed construction schedules and rectify budget overruns by pre-registering for this 1/2-day workshop. BEFORE | AFTER SPONSORED BY this is a free workshop Pre-register now by calling 888-388-8787 or going to www.LDBreakthroughs.com www.LDBreakthroughs.com 32 February 2008 Sustainable Land Development Today http://www.LDBreakthroughs.com http://www.LDBreakthroughs.com http://www.LDBreakthroughs.com
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