Mustafa Kemal Pasha, Hacıali Village, Nature Revitalization and Permaculture Design Project
Bursa/MustafaKemalPaşa, Hacıali Village
Works to revitalize nature with permaculture and agroecology principles have been planned on approximately 1000 decares in the region shown below, within the borders of Hacıali Village of Bursa Province, MustafaKemalPaşa District, approximately 20 minutes away from the town by car.
Revitalizing Nature with Permaculture and Agroecology
In this nature revitalization project, Permaculture principles, design roadmap and Agroecology principles and practices were used together.
Parcels where Nature Revitalization Project will be implemented
Land Survey and Vegetation of the Region
The dominant tree species in areas other than the single-species pine forests planted on the land and its surroundings is oak - Macedonian oak, hairy oaks have been identified. Pyrnal and gall oak species are also common. Ash trees have been detected in hollow areas, in stream beds, and on the edges of oak trees. There are also poplar trees in the stream beds. In addition, smaller numbers of elm, terebinth and judas tree trees were detected. Among the fruits, pear, hawthorn, wild plum and pear species were found. The most common of the shrub species is the blackthorn – also known as thistle, thistle, and blackthorn. It is especially widespread in hilly, sloping lands that have lost their forest characteristics and are not cultivated. Although it is undesirable due to its thorns, it also has health benefits. Poultice made from fresh leaves has healing properties on wounds and boils. Dressing made with cotton is good for eye inflammation. It is beneficial for those suffering from diarrhea, gastritis and urinary difficulties. The other dominant shrub type is blackberry. Rosehip has also been identified
(For more detailed information about the technological infrastructure and approach we use when designing healthy living spaces , see SYA Road Map
Main Trees in the Forest
Trees are part of a large, interconnected community that interacts with itself and other species, including forming relationships with their genetic relatives. The largest and oldest trees have the most connections with other plants in the forest. These multi-connected central trees, also known as Mother Trees, transfer the excess carbon and nitrogen they produce to young saplings living in the forest lower layers through the mycorrhizal network, and are in constant communication with them. In a single forest, a Mother Tree may be connected to hundreds of other trees. Trees can also form complex relationships with other plant species. Birch can compete with young neighboring conifers for light and help them grow. But birch can also help fir by sharing carbon through mycorrhizal networks. The more the birch shades the fir, the more carbon it provides to the fir through mycorrhizal networks. Additionally, felling birch trees increases the risk of neighboring firs contracting root diseases. Trees also exchange resources seasonally – firs share their excess sugar with leafless birches in spring and fall, and birches in turn provide sugar to their firs in summer. Forests, where natural connections between trees are preserved, help revitalize nature, increase biodiversity and store carbon.
https://mothertreeproject.org/about-mother-trees-in-the-forest/
3D Model of the Project Area:
Since the work was done on an area of over 1000 acres and it would be very difficult to obtain a digital model of such a large area (it requires very powerful computers); The land was divided into 4 separate parts and examined and 4 separate digital models were created:
In the image below, we measure the crown height of a tree from ground level. In this way, in the final design, the tree can be positioned accurately on the designed model with the correct crown width and crown height.
Land Topography
The lowest and highest elevations of the land have been removed. In this way, slope analysis was performed.
Climate Data
All the information obtained in the past period of Bursa, MustafaKemalPaşa district
Heat
Precipitation
Moisture
Wind Zone
like sun slice
The data was meticulously researched and all variables were calculated.
In the model created, activities such as the location of the buildings, planting and revitalizing the soil were shaped by taking into account the data obtained.
Soil Analysis
Visually and texturally different soil structures were observed in inspection pits opened in different regions.
Comments About Soil
• Soils are generally pH above 7 and close to 8 - slightly alkaline.
• The organic matter rate is low and between 0.3-1%. o Particularly the organic matter rate of hoeed soils is lower.
• Sand content between 30-60% - sand-dominated soil
• Silt rate is between 15-20%
• Clay content is between 20-50% o Dark colored soils have a slightly higher clay content
• In general, the phosphorus ratio is very low. In alkaline soils, phosphorus interacts with calcium and its ratio decreases.
• High rates of calcium, magnesium and iron
Basic Districts
In the east, there are lands where the horse farm and the processes that support it continue. We recommend the living space for the Project Owner Family on Plot 151 due to its proximity to the horse farm and its location on a dominant hill with a beautiful view overlooking the valley in the south.
Buildings:
Family Living Area, Possible Building Location and View
Ecovillage Region
It is envisaged to design an ecovillage in this 100-decare area, which is relatively isolated from other regions and has both beautiful views and rich nature.
As seen in the photo above, there is a deep depression in the land where plants are concentrated and which becomes a stream bed during the rainy season. Here, tall trees have created a rich vegetation. By creating ponds in this hollow area, water can be stored, microclimate zones can be created and the landscape can be enriched.
What would an ecovillage look like if it were established? For this, we share some images in 3D Real Visualization Software.
The area of approximately 400 decares where we propose to carry out nature revitalization studies is shown in green below.
It is also recommended that the first agroecological practices be carried out in the 70 decare area marked in blue in the lower left corner of the image above.
Access Lines Within the Land
The roads shown in red in the plan below are the cadastral roads indicated on the forest map. Shown in light purple are the tractor roads opened by the villagers to go to their fields. You will also see our new road suggestions on land contour lines (i.e. flat), connecting the purchased lands and the horse farm, with orange lines below. It will also be possible to harvest rainwater on the large terraces that will be created when these roads are opened and transfer this water to the planned ponds.
Nature Animation Work Types :
Three separate types of work were identified as shown in the Plan below:
1. Afforestation zones that require little or no maintenance to connect existing wooded areas and contain mainly local plant species, especially in hilly areas
2. 'Food Forest' zones in easier-to-access areas, containing mainly fruits and nuts, as well as native plants
3. Grasslands, rangelands – grazing areas that will support local ecosystem services, store carbon, produce nitrogen and provide fodder for animals
Afforestation Plan
Food Forest Application
There is a pine forest area on the roadside of this area. The area is west facing and has a slope of 26-36%.
Here, it is recommended to plant a food forest on the ditches by opening ditches in the isosurface curves as follows: Note: all trees were selected to suit the existing soil structure.
Net & Pan Afforestation on a Different Plot
After the bushes on this parcel were cleared, afforestation was planned using the net & pan method on this sloping, south-facing land.
Afforestation Plan
Afforestation is carried out with bowl geometries that we will establish in the shape of a half moon according to the flow of water. Water flowing down the slope accumulates in these bowls and is absorbed into the soil.
Agroecological Studies
Areas and parcels where we foresee work to be done in the fall of 2022: 25, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32 – 44 decares in total
Sample Application on 27+28 Parcels
As seen in the drawing below, practical trenches will be opened with a tractor at 25 meters intervals. The ditches are relatively parallel to the contours with the 'keyline' principle; will open by descending towards the ridge/slope
Sequential October work will be carried out between the trenches:
• Legume grasses (alfalfa, clover, sainfoin, vetch…) within 5 m of the ditches
• Grain will be planted in the remaining 15 m strips (oats…)
Alley Cropping
To increase the fertility of the soil, nitrogen-fixing legume trees are planted in corridors between commercial plants. The branches of these trees can be made into mulch, their seeds can be used as fodder, their trunks can be used as building wood and fuel. Nut and fruit trees can also be added in between.
