More than fifty years ago, my father, the late T.J.Mathew, rediscovered a few rubber
estate field operations which helped conserve rain water.
He applied those systems in his estates very successfully. Later he spent more than
thirty years trying to convince others to apply his methods. Happily, The Rubber
Board took up his ideas and encouraged some of his rain water conservation methods
in rubber holdings all over Kerala.
My father continued to concentrate on developing methods of soil and water
conservation. He later developed his ideas into a wider context, Water and
Environment Conservation. We children grew up seeing this and we too developed an
attitude for conservation and care of nature.
One thing we learnt from our father here was – “A simple method should be easily
applicable. Very little materials and resources should be needed. Wherever possible,
manual labour and human ingenuity should be able to achieve the desired results.”
(Applicability Clause)
Over the years, our experiences led us to develop newer systems of soil and water
conservation. Our father had developed his ideas by looking at what other planters
and research institutions had done over the previous years. We too used the same
tools.
The Theory of localized conservation of rainwater
“A simple and practical method for conserving water to the maximum extent consists
in encouraging and helping the rain water to use the subsoil as a natural reservoir.”
The above is an observation of a natural phenomenon. It was universal until human
interference in the ecology of land resulted in the immediate surface flow of the rain
water, into rivers and the seas, with hardly any percentage being conserved in the
subsoil.
My father theorized that practically all the rainfall of the year should be helped to sink
into the ground and be stored as ground water. A simple method for this purpose
which was found successful, and which was comparatively cheap, and which could be
done with the use of unskilled labour was CONTOUR TRENCHING.
Contour trenching may not show immediate results in one year. It may take two or
three years to note the benefits. But the method can be usefully adopted for any type
of soil and any kind of terrain.
The Theory of Natural Cover
“Natural vegetation and the ensuing effects of root and shoot development can be a
means to conserve rain water, humus and surface soil. As the organic matter content
and humus in the soil increases, there is a better environment for the natural growth
of the rubber plant.”
From the use of contour trenches and replanting pits for rainwater conservation, we
moved to the use of natural cover for soil and rainwater conservation. Some factors
which influenced this decision were:
• Trenches and pits slowly filled up with eroded soil and organic debris and had
to be repaired.
• Trenching and pitting alone did not prevent movement of surface soil,
especially the large wash outs caused by rainwater flowing down rubber tree
trunks.
• Surface vegetation, litter and the worm castings in the trenches and pits were
effective mechanisms for moisture conservation.
• Grasses, dense vegetation, and large accumulations of organic matter were
effective in preventing slowing the flow of water.
• Vegetation very effectively prevented soil wash off.
From 1993, we have been experimenting with natural cover as a conservation tool.
We have tried to maintain a sustained vegetative cover under the rubber trees, by not
hindering the growth of the natural vegetation.
And the natural cover method has an added advantage of being easy. It is but a natural
evolution of the first system of localized conservation.
We need active conservation mechanisms in a continuously growing environment
such as in a rubber holding. The mechanisms for conservations as designed by nature,
are unbeatable because they are designed to change with the seasons and grow or
withdraw as needed.
The benefit of our system:
We have an effective soil and water conservation system
The added benefits:
Soil animal population, especially earthworms, has increased to great levels
The surface soil texture and structure has improved
The varied mix of vegetation is recovering a superior mixture of organic matter.
The increased organic matter and the cooler surface soil is promoting greater rubber
feeder root growth.
We have a wider biodiversity in the types of plants and bushes growing under rubber.
The weeding costs have come down.
Conservation costs are very minimal, restricted only to roads and pathways.
Our perennial springs are still alive.
We have more number of animals and birds living off the natural vegetation.
In this short paper it is not possible to explain all the work and all our observations.
But I hope the above information will be of some help to you.
This paper is dedicated to the memory of my father, who was a pioneer in the
promotion of water and environment.
