Rehabilitation of degraded communal grazing land

Rehabilitation measures, including eyebrow pits and live fencing, were implemented on degraded communal grazing land to reestablish a protective vegetative cover

An area of heavily degraded grazing land was rehabilitated by establishing eyebrow pits to control and harvest runoff, planting trees and grasses, and fencing the site to control grazing. The main purpose was to re-establish vegetative cover on the almost bare, overgrazed site. The site is community land of the 40 households (240 people) of Dhotra village in the Jhikhu Khola watershed. These people are very dependent on this area due to the lack of alternative grazing sites. The rehabilitation site is surrounded by irrigated cropland downstream, grazing land, and degraded sal (Shorea robusta) dominated forest. Rainfed forward-sloping terraces immediately adjoin the site.

About 130 eyebrow pits were dug, together with catch drainage trenches. Several species of grass and fodder were planted along the ridges of the eyebrows and drainage trenches. Contour hedgerows were established between the eyebrow pits and trenches, and trees were planted just below the pits. The maintenance is quite easy: the vegetation needs to be cut back from time to time and the pits cleaned before the pre-monsoon period. The remaining bare areas should be revisited each year and replanted.

light green: districts in 2007

WOCAT database reference: QT NEP13

Location: Dhotra village, Jhikhu Khola watershed, Kabhrepalanchok district, Nepal

Technology area: ~ 0.019 km²

SWC measure: Structural, vegetative, and management

Land use: Grazing land

Climate: Humid subtropical

Related approach: Local initiatives for rehabilitation of degraded communal grazing land, QA NEP13

Compiled by: Nicole Guedel, Switzerland

Date: November 2004, updated October 2006

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• Rehabilitation of degraded communal grazing land