Nurturing Natives Plants
Many Somalilanders depend on free access to plants for feeding their livestock. This is increasingly difficult as areas are fenced off or built over and drought frequency increases. Because plants obtain their nutrients from the soil, attention must be given to both the soil and the plants. There is no easy solution to the problem of increasing demand and decreasing land availability, but increasing awareness of how to maintain and increase the health of an area’s vegetation will help.
Protecting soil
Soil with little or no plant cover is easily washed away. This exposes the roots of plants. Heavy rainfall may even lead to plant loss. Low rock walls will slow down the flow of water over the land. This causes the soil particles being carried by the rain to drop out. Slowing down the water helps protect plants growing below the wall while the soil dropped behind it will form a good seed bed. Protecting the newly formed seed bed from grazing for a year would enable new plants to become established in it. Once established, they could become a long term benefit. Building and maintain rock walls requires time and effort, but not money.
Improving the soil
Soil gains nutrient value from the organisms that live and die in it. These organisms require soil that allows them to build burrows that contain enough air for them to breathe. Walking and driving over soil compacts it, eventually making digging burrows impossible. It also prevents rain from penetrating the soil. This further decreases the soil’s nutritive value because water is needed to help decompose any organic matter in the soil. Loosening compacted soil will help both native and cultivated species grow.
Weed control
Weeds are unwanted plants. Many are unpalatable but are better at becoming established than edible species. Once established, they make it very difficult for non-weedy species to become established. This makes identifying and removing weeds when they are young very important. It is also an ongoing task. The Foundation is developing informative cards about some of Somaliland’s most serious weeds. These will be used in helping range consultants and villagers promote weed control throughout the country. This activity will be combined with promoting establishment of desirable native species.