GREEN BELT SOUTHERN EUROPE - THE FUKUOKA METHOD

GREEN BELT

SOUTHERN EUROPE

The Method

The soil has been depleted by centuries of extensive overgrazing and monocultures leading to soil erosion. It lacks forests and a natural variety of plants and seeds necessary for the formation of a healthy biotope and humus layer. Thus the soil should be offered a high variety of seeds (forest trees, fruit trees, shrubs, green manure plants, vegetables, grains, herbs etc.).

Fukuoka empfiehlt, mindestens 100 verschiedene Arten zu verwenden:

Busch - und Waldbaumsamen *)
Obstsamen und Kerne ( Pflaume, Aprikose, Kirsche, Apfel, Birne, Mispel, Zitrusfrüchte etc.)
Gründüngungspflanzen aller Art (Kleearten, Luzernen, Lupinen, Wicken Erbsen, Bohnen, Mungobohnen etc.)
Blatt- und Wurzelgemüse aller Art (Salat, Spinat, Retticharten etc.), Blumen, etc.
Kleine Mengen verschiedener Getreidearten.

Die Busch - und Waldbaumsamen werden vorwiegend von regionalen Forstbetrieben oder Botanischen Gärten bezogen bzw. im Rahmen von Exkursionen in Gebieten mit einer natürlichen Vielfalt gesammelt.

The plants adapted to soil and climate will start to grow. Experience shows that seeds from forest trees have a much higher chance to grow, if they are sown together with a high variety of other seeds.

In order to avoid the need for mechanically opening the soil prior to insemination labour and cost intensive and causes soil erosion) seeds are covered with several layers of clay. This is called pelleting.

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Germinating pellet	Growing phase

Pelleting protects the seeds from birds and rodents and makes the seed wait for ideal conditions to germinate (water, temperature).

"The key
to success
and balance
is variety."

Masanobu Fukuoka

Fukuoka, Tuschzeichnung und Helikopter

Pelleting can be made in larger style using concrete mixers. Pelleted seeds can be sowed from airplanes (as already demonstrated in Tanzania, India and Greece). This method can also be used for rejuvenating pastures.