Vetiver System - A Green
Investment for Sustainable
Development and Disaster
Mitigation.
An Overview
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
THE VETIVER SYSTEM
A “green” technology that is low cost, easy to use, and it works
Used for:
Soil and Water Conservation
Infrastructure Stabilization
Flood Control
Water Quality Improvement
Pollution Control
Land Rehabilitation
Disaster Mitigation
Handicrafts
Many other uses
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
THE PLANT
Vetiveria zizanioides
Australia - Queensland Malaysia - close up Costa Rica
Clump grass
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
THE ROOT
China - excavated root. Malaysia - longitudinal section through hedge
Average tensile root note the root mass in the top meter of the soil
strength 75 MPa profile. This type of root mass will improve
soil shear strength by up to 39%
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
THE VETIVER GRASS SPECIAL
CHARACTERISTICS
Grows under extreme and wide range of conditions:
Long Living Perennial Grass
Air temperatures: -14 º C to >55º C
Soil pH from <3 to >10
Annual Rainfall 300 mm to > 5,000 mm
Tolerant to all heavy metals
Saline tolerant
Fire tolerant
Few Pests and diseases
Powerful (75 MPa root strength) and deep root system
Non competitive and non invasive
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
THE VETIVER GRASS TECHNOLOGY
The basic technology comprises a hedgerow of vetiver grass
planted on the contour
Malaysia - 30 month hedgerow
planted on the contour
Malaysia - close up
hedge cross section
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
PROPAGATION
Vetiver grass cultivars originally from South India are sterile and non invasive.
It is these types that are used for the Vetiver System.
Vetiver is propagated by root division.
If large quantities of plant material is required nurseries have to be established.
China - 20 ha nursery Malaysia - containerized vetiver
- bare rooted plants nursery
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
PLANTING
India - Preparing planting material
Australia -
machine planting.
Modified
vegetable planter
Mexico - Planting by hand
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
VETIVER SYSTEMS FOR SOIL AND
WATER CONSERVATION
Columbia - CIAT vetiver
- cassava trial on
a steep slope
El Salvador
- hillside
conservation
Costa Rica - vetiver
used to protect
tobacco crop Malawi - erosion control
on maize field
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
VETIVER SYSTEMS FOR SOIL AND
WATER CONSERVATION
Panama - vetiver hedge on a Madagascar - sediment from
steep slope in Chiriqui. Prior to cropped field filtered out by
vetiver these fields were subject vetiver hedgerow. Eventually
to serious land slip natural and stable terraces will
be formed behind the
hedgerow
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
VETIVER SYSTEMS FOR SOIL AND
WATER CONSERVATION
Thailand -
vegetable
crops in the
highlands
protected
by vetiver
China - VS for wind erosion
control
Congo (DRC) - a reshaped urban
gully about to be stabilized with
vetiver grass
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
VETIVER SYSTEMS FOR
INFRASTRUCTURE STABILZATION
Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh Highway - with Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh Highway
and without vetiver Completely stable and cyclone
proof
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
VETIVER SYSTEMS FOR RIVER
BANK, POND AND IRRIGATION
CHANNEL PROTECTION
Thailand - fresh and salt water fish Vietnam - Vetiver stabilizes this
and prawn ponds are protected irrigation canal
with Vetiver
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
VETIVER SYSTEMS FOR FLOOD
CONTROL
Australia - even on flat land there Vietnam - forty provinces are now using
can be serious erosion. vetiver to stabilize sea dykes against
- a long vetiver hedgerow protects a cyclone created storm damage
field from flood damage.
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
VETIVER SYSTEMS FOR LAND
REHABILITATION
Venezuela - rehabilitation of bauxite Australia - gold mine slimes dam
mine using Vetiver Systems - reducing protected by vetiver, preventing
the flow of heavy metals from entering wind blown cyanide soil particles
surface water supply
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
VETIVER SYSTEM FOR POLLUTION
CONTROL
Vetiver was grown in the left
hand beaker.
After 4 days it reduced nitrates
by 94% and Phosphates by 90%.
In Vietnam and China floating
rafts of vetiver have been used
to help clean piggery effluent
ponds
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
VETIVER SYSTEM FOR DISASTER
MITIGATION
Disasters caused by flooding create havoc for communities, and most
often results in loss of life and income. The Vetiver System can prevent
such disasters and also help stabilize landscapes and infrastructure
after disasters.
Vetiver System is particularly good in reducing landslides, highway
collapse, building collapse, river levee breeching, and other damage
due to heavy rains and flood.
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
VETIVER SYTSTEM FOR
LANDSCAPING
Vetiver was used to stabilize and reduce
pollution on this hotel beach front in
Senegal and to create a basis for
landscaping. Top left: before
Bottom left: six months after planting
vetiver grass
India: coastal stabilization
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
VETIVER SYSTEM FOR OTHER
USES
Handicrafts
Building materials
Medicinal
Fuel
Ethanol
Aromatic oil
Water purification
Paper
Mulch
Insect Control
Forage
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
VETIVER SYSTEM
Web site:
http://www.vetiver.org/
Blog Site:
http://vetivernetinternational.blogspot.com
Photo Gallery:
http://picasaweb.google.com/VetiverNetwork
Vetiver Client Gallery:
http://picasaweb.google.com/VetiverClients
THE VETIVER NETWORK (INTERNATIONAL)
