Climate change is a hot topic and a lot of people and agencies are trying to focus on how to adapt to the changes that are likely to occur. We know that temperatures will increase, climatic events are likely to…
Readers should be interested in the following email from Coppin Yoann in Madagascar. It just shows what individuals can do to produce vetiver plant material on a large scale. I would say that he is the sort of person who…
It is always good to start the new year with some good news about vetiver. We know it is difficult to get things done in Africa, but Criss Juliard’s account from the field in Madagascar gives hope that when a…
From the Pacific Rim’s Vetiver Network’s Newsletter #46 October 2008 Several agriculture-related, non-conventional Banks have been set up in Thailand, e.g. Buffalo Bank; Wild-flower Seed Bank; Paddy Rice Bank; Rice Grain Bank; Crop Seed Bank, etc. The main difference between…
I received an email from Yoann Copin in Madagascar who is working with a large mining operation. He would like to know if anyone has had experience stopping/slowing soil erosion using either lawn grasses or bamboo. I would like to…
The recent fires in California remind us of the devastation caused to property and to the local ecology. Often the fires are so hot that most of the ground vegetation is completely burnt off. Recovery is slow and in the…
What is so special about a vetiver hedgerow? Why does a vetiver hedgerow spread water so well? In recent comments on vetiver and bananas it was observed that vetiver enhances moisture availability to adjoining plants. Why? Let me…
This blog is rather long. But it is important – so bear with me!! We face major economic and environmental problems from river bank erosion and the collapse of dykes and levees. These problems are increasing with climate changes that…
Robert Joy the Species Coordinator at USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Hoolehua, Hawaii has worked with Vetiver for a good many years and has produced a Plant Guide “SUNSHINE VETIVER GRASS, Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty, Plant Symbol = CHZI”. This is a very welcome contribution in the…
Every now and then something comes up to remind us what an interesting and wonderful plant Vetiver is. Recently Fernando Cost Pinto of Brazil dug up this 4 meter plant to display at Congresso Sobrade 2009 this month. The 300 participants had never…
