The swales mimic the large dead trees in an ancient forest. Mimicing nature is another word for getting back into alignment. Swales mimic old growth forests. Manage moisture and nutrients. Are home for fungus which is very important. Established swales support the meadows, may not need irrigation or tilling. Fungus is only plant that can break down cellulose.
Water lenses increase the ‘humidity bubble’ at the ‘soil horizon’ level. The ‘moisture retention’ comes from the fungal matrix (mycorhyzal fungi). Fungus represent 80-90% of the moisture holding capacity.
Large dead down are trees 24" in diameter or larger that lay on the forest floor for centuries. As fungus enter them to decompose, they increase exponentially in their ability to store water. Additionally the underside of these horizontal masses shade the earth which also maintains humidity along the soil horizon. If these masses of carbon lay level along the contour, they slow, spread and soak moisture coming off the landscape during snow melt and rain events. SSOCs (Slash Swales On Contour) are one way we can bio-mimic these large dead down trees that industrial forestry has pushed into slash piles and burned over the past century.
Regenerative grazing
The regenerative grazing mimics the disturbance pattern of the buffalo and wolf, creating the amazing ecosystems of North America, our meadows and grasslands.
If our grass isnt growing that tall it is being stunted. We are seeing that now with the cattle now. We are learning that from a carbon storage perspective now. That root system is arguably the same size below ground. All the grasses grazed to nothing, this means the root system is stunted.
We need to manage these systems using cows. Move the cows around properly allow the grass to generate. Become aware of how these perrannual plants want and need to grow.