I appreciate how succinct this video is. A lot of permaculture channels would have taken an hour to convey what was conveyed in this video.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for the feedback. Yes, when I was researching I found it helpful if videos were around the 10min mark give or take so I could quickly absorb some information while I was taking a tree planting break! Alex 🌱🌿

@lauralee6628

9 ай бұрын

what few people realise is that swales only work where there is high rainfall - and even fewer people successfully manage them over the decades - SO FAR there are no viable swale/tree crop constructs anywhere on australia with less than 650 mm annual rainfall - if there are any the total area would be a few hectares - which is too small to be viable - anyone who tells you otherwise is trading in unicorns

@priestesslucy3299

9 ай бұрын

​@@lauralee6628in areas of lower rainfall (assuming you do get big rain events) don't you just need to space the swales further apart on the slope and dig them larger to catch a larger volume of water?

@lauralee6628

9 ай бұрын

that may work = however is not unknown to 2 years or more with no significant rainfall in all parts of australia with less than 700 mm rainfall = you can get some tree crops to survive but not all tree crops = to date no viable working model to verify the efficiency of swales in areas with 700mm or less rainfall = if we give you 1000 hectares and $10,000,000 at goondiwindi (in 550 mm rainfall) how much income can you earn from a $10,000,000 land development investment with tree crops grown on swales ?? without stored water in tanks ???

@priestesslucy3299

9 ай бұрын

@@lauralee6628 that's a good question, one I am not equipped to answer. When you mentioned regions with 700mm per year, I was assuming even a drought year would be at least 300mm

Finally found some Australian KZread channel which talks about permaculture. There are hundreds of channels filled with American ones. Keep posting

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Ben! Will do! Alex 🌿

@retireorbust

8 ай бұрын

Now that's funny because I thought it was an Australian who pioneered permaculture and I'm in the U.S. Maybe I'm confusing it with polyculture.

@freerange_caligator

8 ай бұрын

I have the opposite experience so I feel for you 😂 permaculture originated with Bill Mollison, who is Australian. There is a huge community there. Milkwood is a well known one as well as Zaytuna farm which is run by Geoff Lawton to name a few. I hope you find more resources! Good luck!

@lorissupportguides

8 ай бұрын

Polyculture Farms is an aussi channel. You can see insane progress on the channel

Good job! I've been pushing folks to try strips like that, especially with native clumping grasses that'll work like a strainer to really hold back the soil and rain. Looks like you've proven the concept and I appreciate you posting this vid!

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks very much! This is great to know you are thinking along the same lines. Have you been working on a project of your own? Love to hear about your experience. Wishing you all the best! 🌿🌾

@threeriversforge1997

9 ай бұрын

@@dreamsofgreen Thankfully, I live in a wet area so holding onto water really isn't necessary. For me, it's about using native plants to encourage wildlife to hang around and eat the pests in the garden. I know a lot of folks are jumping on the Vetiver grass bandwagon, thinking it's all the rage and the perfect solution, but I've come to prefer using native grasses because they help in ways that Vetiver cannot - like producing food and homes for the native animals that have evolved in this area. In Australia, for example, you have a ton of clumping grasses that work much the same as Vetiver. The Lomandra species not only form a nice clump, but have quite a tough rooting habit that binds the soil so it can't wash away easily. That the local wildlife has evolved to use the plant means that you're adding to the food web rather than introducing a grass that does nothing for the ecological system of the area. When planted close together to form a tight line, clumping grasses like the Lomandra or Poa look absolutely fantastic as a hedge and really add to the value of the homestead. That they also form a filter that slows surface water runoff is a bonus. Who wouldn't love a hedge of Festuca Glauca or Poa Poiformis around their back garden? Throw in a few Lomandra Longifolia for good measure and you've got a hedgerow that's both attractive and functional. Mix it up with some Orthosanthus Multiflorus 'Morning Iris' every few feet and you've got a design that'd make all the neighbors jealous, for sure. And best of all, they're all native plants that have evolved to live in the conditions you have on hand. That means you need to do less work to maintain them, and they work for you to help build the soil biome with their root structures while also fulfilling their role in the local food web. Around my neck of the woods, we use clumping grasses like Panicum Virgatum and Andropogon Gerardii to do the same thing. While non-native plants might accomplish one thing, like preventing erosion, because they didn't evolve here, they pretty much create a black hole in the food web. Sure, they might root deep, like the Vetiver, and help stop erosion, but that's all they do. They can't feed the local songbirds and pollinators because the two didn't evolve together, and without food.... well, it's no wonder we've lost more than 30,000,000 songbirds since the 70's when non-native plants became all the rage in the horticulture industry. Those non-native plants stay looking pretty because insects don't nibble on the leaves. But without insects, there are no soft protein sources for the songbirds to feed their chicks in the nest. No food for the baby birds doesn't generally work out well, as I'm sure you can imagine. Anyhow, kudos to you for thinking outside the box. I'll look forward to seeing what you come up with next!

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for this really interesting and informative reply. You make some really great points. The lomandra are used extensively around here for exactly that - erosion control on creek banks and steep slopes. Thanks also for mentioning the other species, I’ll look them up as there are many grasses I’m not familiar with. That’s a devastating loss of songbirds by the way. Watching all the birds come back into the tree rows has been such a joy. Of course there’s great uses for vetiver, however I didn’t use it as I had an abundance of other native clumping grasses that were already thriving and the birds were loving it! Thanks again, I’ve enjoyed reading. Alex

@threeriversforge1997

9 ай бұрын

@@dreamsofgreen Dr. Doug Tallamy has one a few videos here on KZread where he talks about the real-world costs of planting non-native plants in our yards. Something like 70% of our ecosystems have been replaced with things that haven't evolved in that local area, so it causes something of an invisible cascade failure in the whole chain of life. 90% of birds require soft protein sources like caterpillars to feed their chicks in the nest, and just one nest can require more than 4000 caterpillars to reach maturity. Since we've opted to use non-native species in our yards to the degree we have, that means the local insects not only can't eat them because they don't recognize them as a food source, but everything that eats the insects then has far less food for their young. Non-natives like Vetiver might work great to help with erosion control, and even provide fodder for livestock, they are basically "inert" in the landscape. Planting things that are native to the region, however, can host dozens of different insects that serve as the foundation of the food chain much like how plankton works in the oceans. Often, we don't even understand the complexity of what the native plants are doing. Bunch Grasses, like the Lomandra or Festuca, also produce tons of nutrient-rich mulch every year. Because they tend to root down deeper in the strata, they are mining minerals that aren't usually available to plants that have a shallower rooting habit. When their leaves are then used as mulch, that wider array of nutrients then becomes available to other plants, increasing the health of the plants and the taste of their fruits. Folks get so fixated on NPK that they forget there are a bazillion other nutrients needed for a healthy plant, just like with people. I always recommend the grasses be cut to the crown at the beginning of the dry season. Not only does the mulch help to retain soil moisture, but removing the standing dead stalks will greatly reduce the fire hazard by making it harder to catch alight. Combined with the increased soil moisture means that fires are far less likely to take hold.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for this, I’ll look him up! Again, I’ve learnt so much from one post from you. I agree - this NPK fixation! And love the last paragraph too. Great information. I’m just starting to cut back the grass around the trees for mulch and to start reducing fire risk. Thanks again, Alex 😊

Wow three years makes a huge difference. I love seeing your progress.

Thank you. I affirm this method. I have been terracing similarly in Colorado (USA) for 25 years and have sustained large shrubs, fruit trees, vegetables, and grasses (poa et al). Here the annual rainfall is ~14", and the elevation is 6700'. Understanding the soil (structure, texture, pH ) is primary for composition to balance retention and drainage, then amending and planting accordingly.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for sharing, wonderful to know you’ve been doing this for the last 25 years and it works! Kind regards, Alex 💚🌿

What an incredible video. I just want to echo how nice it is that you get straight to the point. The amount of knowledge shared is impressive, and I love how you explain all your plans whilst going along (like the branches to save topsoil from running off). I'm looking to study/find work in conservation and restoration, so this is all very exciting to see! I hadn't thought of another method other than swales, and how they don't work past 15 degrees. Thanks!

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! I wish you every success in your chosen career, I’m sure it will be very rewarding for you! Best wishes, Alex 🌿

I paused to say that those grass rows actually produce a swale like function. They slowly build up mounds instead of digging swales. Difference in elevation is difference in elevation, right? It slows the water flow, and as organic debris caught up in the grass rows, they will mound up slowly. I love it!

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! Yes, exactly my goals for this system 😄 It’s a ‘how to swale when you can’t swale’ type of set-up. 🌿

@busker153

9 ай бұрын

@@dreamsofgreen Honestly, I would probably swale that way even if earth works was an option, now that I've seen it. I love things that require less work; not more. Here is a link to the channel my wife made for videos of the farm: kzread.info/dron/H57pOwu07Sy7Fc8EQxkr8Q.html Thanks for sharing what you are doing. It truly was inspiring.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Well I can’t use my hands to dig a hole like you can in the beautiful soil you created! I think you’ve done a remarkable job with the use of swales. Thanks for the link, watching now!

@busker153

9 ай бұрын

@@dreamsofgreen I had a foot or two of mulch on the front yard for almost a year before I made my way out there. I was working in the back yard first. My wife's crew would fill garbage cans with weeds, and grasses, and stomp them down. When they got them here, they came out in garbage can shaped grass pills. The funniest looking things you've ever seen. I just had them cover the whole yard with them without fluffing them at all. What a shade cover! In addition to shade, and the automatic drip system it activates, the microbes at the surface (the O-Horizon layer) break down the organic matter, and it filters down into the soil. I do almost no work anymore. It is like most things in life. Getting set up requires a lot of project work, but maintenance is easy. When the house is a wreck, the "overhaul" is a huge project. But, if you do it well, keeping things tidy is not all that hard. You just have to be at it daily. I started and ran the yardwork business for years before my wife took it over. I learned how to get weeds out. Bermuda grass is abundant here, and it is hard to get out. Especially in our clay soil. (Ok, not clay...concrete!) LOL When I see the rare weed now, I pull on it, and a foot or more of weed and root just gently comes out...easily! It is dazzlingly amazing! Especially after years of experience sweating them out before. The mulch makes the microbes happier, allowing more fungi to grow, which changes the bacteria to fungus ration to change. This actually makes it horrible soil for weeds to grow in. They crave bacterial dominant soil.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Love this. Such an amazing transformation. Thank you so much for sharing. I can’t wait until I have a forest floor to walk along! 🌱🌿🌳

I love this. Its a great way of arresting water & soil run-off and sequence the land back up the chain. Wonderful!

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Scott! 🌿

In addition to your pointers regarding cattle, I would suggest rotational grazing. That way all the manure and urine is concentrated in one area which is then left fallow for 60 or more days to regenerate. In addition to this, if free range chooks are sent through an area approximately 3 days after the cattle have been moved on, they will scratch up the cow pats and feast on the fly larvae. This has the added bonuses of providing free proteins for yet another income stream, keeps the fly population under control and helps speed the recognition the grasses.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Agree 100%. Sadly the average age of a cattle farmer in Australia is 61 years old and most have a day job. There is a new generation of regenerative farmers coming through (for example, southern cross university in Australia is now offering regenerative farming degrees). I’m optimistic that the methods you describe above will become the ‘new normal’.

@lauralee6628

9 ай бұрын

what few people realise is that swales only work where there is high rainfall - and even fewer people successfully manage them over the decades - SO FAR there are no viable swale/tree crop constructs anywhere on australia with less than 650 mm annual rainfall - if there are any the total area would be a few hectares - which is too small to be viable - anyone who tells you otherwise is trading in unicorns

@rmar127

9 ай бұрын

@@dreamsofgreen that’s awesome news. I have hopes that the idea spreads far and wide. Even from an economic view its a no brainer. Improved pastures mean one of two things, either you can successfully run m,ore head on the same amount of land or with extra forage, you can get calves up to market weight sooner in the season and thus command a premium price for them.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Absolutely!

@knoll9812

9 ай бұрын

Have to wait for trees to mature a bit.otherwise the cows will eat them.

Amazing information thank you 🙏🏽 I own 3 acres of land, all of it sloping! I really want to re-forest the land, but don’t have the budget for putting in swales as I’d need a machine. This system looks way better and you’ve inspired me to start turning my old cow paddock into tree covered land once again.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

That’s wonderful Sharon! If you are ever over Kyogle way, send me an email at alex@dreamsofgreen.com.au. I’d be happy to show you around. Best wishes for your property!! Alex 🌿

@sharonhoffer3599

9 ай бұрын

@@dreamsofgreen Thank you Alex, I will definitely take you up on that offer! I lived in Lismore for 18 months, such a special place and area you live in. My Mum is at Goonellebah so next time I visit her, I’ll come see you too 😃

A bloody wonderful idea. Great job bringing the land back to its natural state.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Wow, thanks so much. It’s been so rewarding seeing it transform! Alex 💚🌿

Love what you doing for wildlife and I look forward to seeing more of your food forest.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much Deborah. It’s been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. 💚

Wonderful tour of your hillside and planned shady and slow water areas. Rotational grazing with silvo-pasture combines the extra benefits to the soil and the trees and grasses. Thanks for the time and sharing your video.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for your lovely comment. Yes I think silvopasture has so many amazing benefits! Thanking you again, Alex 🌿

@lauralee6628

9 ай бұрын

what few people realise is that swales only work where there is high rainfall - and even fewer people successfully manage them over the decades - SO FAR there are no viable swale/tree crop constructs anywhere on australia with less than 650 mm annual rainfall - if there are any the total area would be a few hectares - which is too small to be viable - anyone who tells you otherwise is trading in unicorns

I love to see what you are doing. I hope to follow your venture as your trees grow.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Garrett. I can’t wait to see the rainforest species take off! I’ve got some really beautiful native species in there so it will be interesting to see how the forest develops over time. Alex 🌱😊

We did this on our dairy farm in South Africa,which has even more issues with soil erosion than Australia ,we just called them contours but had them further apart ,approximately 4 meters apart ,worked a treat preventing erosion

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for sharing!! So good knowing you’ve had success with this. My rows are also on average about 4m apart but the steeper areas closer and the flatter areas a bit further apart. Really appreciate you sharing. Best regards for your property, Alex 💚🌿

Hello from the Northern Hemisphere. I live in the hills near a Mediterranean town, and all of the property I recently acquired is on slopes. That's all we've got over here. The native flora is vastly different, but otherwise, there are many similarities. We have extreme droughts and equally extreme precipitation. I'm trying to figure out how to fit my permaculture garden into the existing landscape, without having to use traditional stone terraces, which are expensive to build (and these days it's really hard to find people with the relevant knowledge). You've given me a few great ideas to experiment with. I'll keep checking out your channel, and will keep you posted. Thank you!

@cboisvert2

8 ай бұрын

Check Jeff Lawton's (also an Australian) work about swales. Jeff's work relies on digging along contour lines, while this one looks for ways not to dig. But compared to terraces, both are interesting to find out about. I built dry stone walls in Dordogne (France) and I agree - labour is hard to find, and nobody would want to pay me at the level of expertise + amount of time this takes! But it fitted the lifestyle of those who built it: out in the field all the time, shifting the stones out of the cultivated areas and reserving them for the walls, using patience over generations rather than fast investment of money and (fossil) energy. If you wanted to machine-build terraces cheaply and fast, buy cages made from iron wiring (from the sort of iron bars made to reinforce concrete?) Then you plonk the cages at the bottom end of your terrace, throw the stones in and back-fill with soil - or, slowly back fill with soil as you sift the stones out. Old terrace builders will scream that you are destroying the landscape, but you get a similar result in months, instead of decades, and you can do most of the work with a digger! Ready stone-filled cages also exist, but of course you have more stones on site than you know what to do with already :)

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much and wishing you all the very best with your property! Kindest regards, Alex 💚🌿

Great work, thank you for sharing.

Brilliant, great work!

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks very much! Alex 💚🌿

Such a great video. And wonderful to see Australian videos being made, keep up the great work and keep posting!

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Kaz and will do! Kindest regards, Alex 💚🌿

Thank you for sharing

This is brilliant! Thank you!

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! Alex 💚🌿

Good work lady.

Fantastic work. Thank you for sharing this concept.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you and a pleasure Adam! Alex 💚🌿

Great video, thanks

Outstanding idea.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! 💚

Thank you so much for this video, I have learned so much of this.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

That’s wonderful Agnes! A pleasure. Alex 💚🌿

I love your Hill! Lots of good ideas

@dreamsofgreen

5 ай бұрын

Thank you! 💚🌿

Fantastic, detailed presentation.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for the lovely feedback! Alex 💚🌿

Really well done and full of wisdom. Be blessed

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much. Alex 💚🌿

Beautiful, and well expained! I love that you are taking wildlife into consideration.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you very much! 💚

Great work. All the best for future plantings.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Peter! Alex 💚🌿

So good to see a great retreating project! Really good methods to see and share!

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! Alex 💚🌿

Absolutely excellent description of the bio-mechanics of your project. Very much appreciated!

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Wow, thank so much! Appreciate your comment, Alex 💚🌿

Fascinating practical information. So much to learn... Thank you for sharing your wonderful knowledge Alex

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

My pleasure and thank you Wendy! 🙏🌿

Hiii!! Love this video! Please make more videos like this thank you!!!

@dreamsofgreen

6 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Sophia! 💚🌿

Nice to get some more Aussie content. We have a similar ex grazed landscape of 25 acres on the NSW south coast and will be starting our permaculture journey with a heavy focus on syntropic agroforestry. Look forward to checking out the rest of your videos.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Wonderful!! I look forward to hearing about your progress and wishing you all the very best! Alex 💚🌿

Thank you for sharing! I’ve also got a very steep slope and this information is so helpful!

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

You are so welcome! Feel free to reach out if I can help you at all. Wishing you all the best with your property! Alex 🌳🌳🌳

Really inspiring what you’ve created there - look forward to seeing how it develops. thanks for sharing. 👍🏻

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! 🌿

Thanks Alex. I'm on the mid-north coast. Your videos are really helpful for what I'm trying to do. Really enjoying the content. Keep it up.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for your encouragement Matt! You live in a beautiful part of the world. Any questions or support I can offer please feel free to reach out. Many of the species I’m using up in Kyogle would work for you too. All the best with your project! Alex 🌿

Like that u are bringing the trees back and encouraging others as well.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Tom. Appreciate your comment. Best wishes, Alex 🌿

Such a spectacular system! I got great ideas from the video. Thank you for sharing it!

I once made the mistake to free my seedlings from the suffocating high grasses. The seedlings were immediately spotted by deer and destroyed many of the seedlings.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Yes it’s such a balance with the grass. I’ve had a couple of seedlings ‘pruned’ by wallabies but luckily they bounced back. The grass basket system seems to work well for me, where I clear around the trunk and use the cut grass as mulch, then tie the surrounding long grass over the seedling to form a shelter. This was my solution in the tree rows as I couldn’t afford thousands of tree guards and wooden stakes! Wishing you much success Franek and I hope you’re able to get your trees established. Best regards, Alex 🌿🌳

@franek_izerski

9 ай бұрын

thank you @@dreamsofgreen

Fantastic contribution to the earth and community.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Wow, thanks so much for your kind words of encouragement! Alex 💚🌿

Amazing!

Congrats on your progress! Must be especially rewarding to have propagated these from seed and see the growth now!

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Claire! Incredibly rewarding! Best regards, Alex 💚🌿

Well presented !!! Inspiring , even for a small plot.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! Alex 💚🌿

Great long term system, and very well explained. Thank you.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

You are welcome! Glad it was helpful. Alex 🌿

Really interesting and informative video. Thanks very much.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

A pleasure Mathew! Thanks for watching. Alex 💚🌿

Good look, Miss!

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you! 🌿

Congratulations on setting up a very nice system there. I can see a few small animals and chickens being very happy in that environment in a short time.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much John. Yes I can’t wait for some canopy. Have sadly lost some chickens to wedge tail eagles so it will be lovely to see them scratching around the forest floor under the lovely shade and protection of the trees. Alex 💚🌿

love it, thanks!

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you! 💚🌿

Absolutely brilliant system, so clever and simple, congratulations to you. I wish more Australian farmers would copy this.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Joshua! Much appreciated. It will be interesting to see how the system develops over time. Alex 💚🌿

Your methods are genius!

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Wow, thank so much Shirley! Alex 💚🌿

great video and great ideas! Also it looks really cool

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much! Alex 🌿

Awesome video! thank you

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for watching! Alex 🌿

Thank you! Fabulous.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! Alex 🌿

Quality video, thank you

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! Alex 🌿

From a very wet & windy Somerset, England - this is a fascinating video 🙂

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much Kevin. I hope you get a sunny day soon! Alex 🌿

Really like this idea. We have some slopes on our place in Oklahoma (USA) that I think would benefit from this system. Thanks for posting this video. I look forward to your future videos.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Oh fantastic Claudia! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions and I wish you all the best on your property. Happy planting! 🌱💚🌿

@claudiamcbride9746

9 ай бұрын

Many thanks. I'll be sure to get in touch if I have questions

Thank you so much for this information 🙏🏻 we have 2 acres on the Toowoomba range and I have been trialling many methods to reforest our very steep slope with endemic rainforest species, with very little success. I am very excited to implement this at our place.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Fantastic! My pleasure. Wishing you all the best with your property! Alex 🌿

Looking forward.. Good job

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks Aron, much appreciated. Alex 🌿

Very interesting! Love how you have a variety and have incorporated a bunch of ideas and targets in the design. The bits of shade the hill gets is making a difference in the grass that is mowed, as it is greener than your neighbors hill. Love this so much!

@Jotanna7

9 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Jotanna! Yes lots of clover and bees which is lovely. Alex 💚🌿

I hope we get to see your future forest mature more and more

Great video. You are my hero.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Wow, thanks! 💚🌿

Alex, I live in Northern California and have been looking for advice on how to reforestate neglected mountain steep slopes. I am so glad I found your channel! Thank you for sharing your methods and progress! What is the % of your food forest slope? I have 15%, 30% and even 50% slopes 😮😅. I am hoping to learn from you how steep is too steep to plant.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Hi Lu and thanks so much! Sorry about the delayed response, I had to find my maps! I’m used to dealing in degrees and had to convert to %, so I think this is right: the food forest is mostly around 22-32% with some steeper sections of up to around 36%. We have a very steep almost cliff section that I can’t mow as it’s too steep so I planted a Moreton bay fig which has an extensive root system and will hopefully help hold the ground together. You could use a similar species to help stabilise your steeper slopes (think invasive roots that will spread horizontally versus a long tap root which can blow over more easily in a storm). Hope this helps and all the best with your plantings! Alex 🌱🌿🌳

work of art great job👍

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! Alex 🌿

This is the way nature dose it ,excellent video.And its so nice to here that your planting species for our beloved koala bears .

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for your kind words Margarethe. It’s going to be really important to create some wildlife corridors around this system but it’s a start! Alex 💚🌿

Very cool! Hope you can get some perrenial grasses in among that leaf litter also

Fantastic!

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you Carole! 🌿

wow you are so considerate! please do a video of how you planed the design of your property and keep up the good work!!

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for your lovely comment! What a great suggestion! 💚🌿

I like this very much. I look forward to seeing updates! 🪲💚🍃💦🦜🌿🌳🌾 Thank you!

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much Louise!! Best wishes, Alex 🌱💚🌿

Fantastic! My slopes are also too steep for swales and I was leaning towards rows of Vetiver but your idea is so much less work and has worked well. I have access to a spring fed dam so if we have a long, dry spell I could potentially add irrigation if needed too. Thanks a lot for the info.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Wonderful! Great having the spring fed dam as backup too. Wishing you much success with your property! Alex 💚🌿

"I'll just take my knife, and go for a lovely nature walk..." Love it! (Great video btw, thanks!)

Nice!

Brilliant, well done. I've not thought of the different needs when the slope is great. I just assumed swales were the way to go.This system is amazing.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for your comment. Sometimes the frustrations of a limited budget and challenging terrain can be a blessing in disguise - we are forced to work with what we’ve got! 💚

@lauralee6628

9 ай бұрын

what few people realise is that swales only work where there is high rainfall - and even fewer people successfully manage them over the decades - SO FAR there are no viable swale/tree crop constructs anywhere on australia with less than 650 mm annual rainfall - if there are any the total area would be a few hectares - which is too small to be viable - anyone who tells you otherwise is trading in unicorns

Yup, looks great. Keep it up.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you! 🌿

Thank you. I can see major advantage in leaving the grass that I had been clearing. Less effort better result we are on 1:3. The remarks on mowing are particularly useful.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks Peter. I like less effort! I’ll do a demo on the mower once the grass gets up too. Best regards, Alex 🌿

Brilliant work. It is inspiring to see people who care so much about the land, and do something about it! I'm curious as to how did you get that grass to grow without watering or irrigation? How much does planting the grass on contour help as opposed to just planting grasses randomly over the hill? It must make you feel great to have such success with nature.

BRILLIANT!!!!

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! Alex 💚🌿

Good stuff, I am doing something very similar on my hillside - very similar climate, though very different part of the world, too. I arrived at quite a similar solution, though mine is way more messy (I've done a few videos on the topic), I just don't mow so there's grass and "weeds", the orchard that was already there, but now also various native volunteers popping up. My land has been more green as a result in recent years but I want to get it all a bit more organised going forward!

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to following your progress. Just had a quick look and looks so green and lush! Best wishes with your project - love the structure too. Alex 🌿

Well thought out, and the proof's in the pudding - those trees are thriving.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks John! Much appreciated. Alex 💚🌿

I was wondering if my idea was out there already and if it would work. So happy to find your channel. Thank you, I think it's not only an amazing idea, seeing it working so well is even better.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Wow, amazing! Thank you so much, please let me know how your project progresses. Love to share ideas and inspiration! Alex 🌱💚🌿

@PRINCESSDREAMYLYN

8 ай бұрын

@@dreamsofgreen My land is fairly flat but even may work on it. I was thinking of a guy who has land in Texas who is trying to slow water and sink it. it's hills and all and trying to put in dams to slow the water, but they are washing out in heavy rains. i was thinking about ways to slow the water from washing out his dams and using grasses to slow the water down before they got to the wash. deep rooted grasses was where my thoughts went. Maybe you could help him out sounds like you have about the same type of weather too. [ www.youtube.com/@dustupstexas/videos ]

@PRINCESSDREAMYLYN

8 ай бұрын

this video of Shaun's is what got me to thinking about using native grasses. especially on the hill sides. kzread.info/dash/bejne/i5-lqZp-n8_NZ7A.html

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Watching now..! Thank you so much for sharing 💚

Super cool. I think a similar system is used in northern Thailand to recharge water back into the hillsides. But adding the trees in the way you did makes it exponentially better.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much and didn’t know this was used in northern Thailand! Great to know! Alex 💚🌿

yes to the point very useful content too

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you! Alex 💚🌿

Great information about bacterial and fungal systems. Super good video!

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much. Really appreciate your comment! Alex 💚🌿

@TheSquidworm

9 ай бұрын

I'm just sitting by one of my steep slopes by a natural creek over in Nimbin looking at the lush grassy, weedy growth on the banks. I know some weeds, but wondering which ones are natives? Tricky haha

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Sounds beautiful! And oh my gosh, I've spent the last three years learning all about the trees and still so many native rainforest species to learn about... We are blessed with the amazing species we have at our doorstep aren't we? And so I haven't even started on the native grasses and ground covers yet!!

Excellent to see this info. I've a similar property and have used basically the same methods (I'm just over the range in Nimbin). Having been here for 30 years I've for some years adopted the practice of only planting in the wet season so never water. People still think Spring is the time for planting (but often our driest season) This is when seed would naturally sprout, ensures a far greater survival rate (less stress), better root systems (roots follow lowering soil moisture down as drier winter/spring progresses) and far less work maintaining watering

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks Steph! We’re practically neighbours! This is really reassuring to hear this, thanks for sharing. Your place must look incredible now. I’m sure it must be so rewarding to look back at your old photos and see the beautiful transformation of your land. Alex 💚🌿

Excellent share. Glad you pointed out one of the flaws of swales. Ask yourself how many tons of topsoil loss on flat land is there when people can't see any soil loss at all? Therefore, trees are required a what % of slope?

A great Idea Alex I planted 4 of those Brisbane wattles 12 years ago. then after the bushfires 4 years ago. After the cockies ate the seeds and spread them Now I have abt 4,000 of them growing on my place

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

An amazing pioneer! 💚

Nice video

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you! 🌿

Um ótimo começo, agora só perceverar😊

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you! 🌿

Brilliant solution.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you! 🙏

New sub here.... this video came up as recommended and I am glad that it did! Question, with the grass so high, what do you do to eliminate ticks?

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Welcome and thank you! Occasionally we get ticks but it’s just part of country life here and we just try to be careful. Although I will say the ticks are the least of our problems when we have brown snakes!! My dear cat would follow me around the paddock keeping watch while I planted trees. Three times he got between me and a brown snake, hissing to warn me. Amazing! And luckily no ticks but we do check him (and ourselves) regularly. Alex 💚🌿

I think they should do rotational grazing. Destroying the grass is not a good thing. Perhaps add fodder trees that grow quickly and some timber trees..

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Yes it’s amazing the difference once the land is allowed to rest and recuperate. Perhaps in the future I can offer to plant some trees. I have so many excess fodder and timber trees that I have propagated, I think this would be a beautiful thing! 😊

Your land is very similar to ours, with similar challenges. Seven years ago, we cut a total of about 1 kilometer of swales, and we also mow paths the way you are showing. These practices slow down rain runoff to prevent erosion and create a nanoclimate for sheltering saplings. Your video is packed with concrete information. It was wonderful to see how you are taking care of your land with such a clear vision and knowledge.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much. I really appreciate your comment. I just subscribed and watched your video on how swales transformed your property after 7 years. I am blown away by the transformation!! You have created an absolute masterpiece. I am so inspired by the beauty of your property. The stonework is magnificent too. I recognise many similar tree species and I hope our property looks this lush one day. Thank you for the inspiration, it has made me so happy to watch this. Alex 🌱💚🌿

@architektura204

9 ай бұрын

​@@dreamsofgreen This is wonderful, Alex, that you are already pursuing your dream. We started when we were retired; you have so many many years to "weave" your project to the most amazing "green kimono". My imagination is running wild seeing your property in a near future. It really looks and sounds like you have a very good understanding of what it takes to create your own green, peaceful island. Both my husband and I admire what you have achieved. Your response to my comment warmed my heart. Thank you.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thank you for your beautiful words. 🙏

Aw love you have though of koalas and wild life. Well done for getting right into it. And having the great idear of the grass swales. Are you going to plat fruit trees too.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks Joan! And yes, there’s a link below the video where I’ve planted a big food forest where the access is a bit easier and not as steep. Enjoy, Alex 💚🌿

Looking forward to future updates. I live in Southern England, and even we are suffering with lack of water in some areas. We do not get seasons now, they very often merge. Up in the 70s today when it should be getting colder, and a frost is very rare. When I was growing up frost in September was the norm. Miss the seasonal changes. Some plants and trees do not like the changes either, they need frosts to send them dormant.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! And sorry to hear of the challenges you are facing. I don’t think we’ve had a ‘normal’ year since we’ve been here.. it’s definitely difficult to plan and so I tried going for maximum diversity to try and maximise my chances of something succeeding! Best wishes to you, Alex 💚🌿

@lynnej7219

8 ай бұрын

Will be watching. Good luck

Nicely done. I will try a similar method in PNG.

@dreamsofgreen

8 ай бұрын

Fantastic Benjamin. Love to hear about your results and all the best! Alex 💚🌿

Love this thankyou! Did bush fire management play a part in your plant selection? I'm in a bushfire prone area and have read using more deciduous trees (especially near dwellings) is a really good idea for fire management.

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thank you very much Ben! Yes I have a few mulberry trees around the house area and it wasn’t shown in this video but I have planted rainforest species along one of the the fence lines as a firebreak. We also have a phototinia hedge along the fence line next to the house which are excellent firebreaks as well as feijoas. Alex 🌿

Interesting 😊

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Thanks! 🌿

What you're doing is inspiring to say the least. Heroic in my opinion. Hopefully you will set a trend. Check out Fog-Net water catching systems that are being used in the dryest places on Earth as drinking and irrigation source. Perhaps it will help with the drought situation. It looks simple, and effective. It's just plumbing and plastic netting, so the cost should be negligible. Best of luck!

@dreamsofgreen

9 ай бұрын

Wow! Thank you so much! I hope so too. It’s such a joy to watch a forest grow from seed.. and see the birds come in and the wallabies resting in the shade of the trees. And I will definitely look this up. Thanks for the recommendation, I absolutely love learning about simple technology such as this! Much appreciation, Alex 💚🌿