Core of the DREVO Living Mountains project

Core of the DREVO Living Mountains project

The second and third cascades are the heart of the entire system

Most mountain restoration programs focus on tree planting or building hydraulic structures.

ConceptDREVO Living Mountainsoffers a different approach.

The main recovery area isupper and middle slopes, since it is they who determine the water regime of the entire mountain system.

If these two cascades are restored, the others begin to recover much faster thanks to natural processes.

Second Cascade - Upper Slopes

The main task

To retain the first precipitation as much as possible and prevent the formation of destructive surface runoff.

Here it is necessary to fight not the erosion as a consequence, but the cause of its occurrence.

This is where rainwater first begins its downward movement.

Each liter of water should:

lose speed;

penetrate into the soil;

get into the root system;

begin feeding future springs.

This is the main engineering site.

This is where they create:

microterrace;

stone crescents;

infiltration bowls;

landing pockets;

distribution troughs;

emergency overflows;

shrub islands;

the first forest clumps.

This is where most of the system is located.DREVO Mountain Sponge.

The fate of rain is decided here

After precipitation, two scenarios are possible.

First

The water quickly goes down.

Consequences:

ravines;

floods;

soil destruction;

drying out of slopes in summer.

Second

Water is retained.

Then she:

forms humus;

nourishes plants;

increases soil moisture;

replenishes groundwater;

creates future springs.

It is the second scenario that is the goal of the project.

Third Cascade - Middle Slopes

If the second cascade receives water, the third turns it into a long-term natural reservoir.

Main task:

accumulate the maximum possible volume of moisture within the soil and forest ecosystem.

Forest formation

Here a mature mixed forest appears.

Used:

ash tree;

oak;

linden;

elm;

maple;

merry;

shrubs;

ground cover plants;

mushrooms;

mycorrhiza.

It is not a project to plant trees, butmulti-tiered plant community.

Formation of deep soil

It is here that a powerful forest profile gradually emerges.

Main processes:

accumulation of humus;

formation of the aggregate structure of the soil;

mycorrhiza development;

accumulation of organic matter;

increasing water holding capacity.

The soil becomes the main reservoir of fresh water.

Formation of a natural sponge

The middle slope works like a giant sponge.

During rain:

water slowly penetrates into the soil;

fills the pore space;

retained by organic matter;

distributed throughout root systems.

After the rain stops, this water will remain for many months:

nourishes the forest;

maintains humidity;

flows into springs;

provides the base flow of rivers.

Why the second and third cascades?

Because this is where the maximum catchment area is located.

Even a small increase in infiltration in these areas has an impact on the entire downstream system.

Changes:

floods;

groundwater level;

spring flow rate;

forest humidity;

drought resistance;

risk of fires;

volume of erosion;

state of rivers.

The remaining cascades become supporting ones.

If the second and third cascades work efficiently:

the fourth cascade receives significantly fewer destructive flows;

the fifth cascade requires smaller pools;

the sixth cascade experiences extreme flooding less frequently;

the seventh cascade receives cleaner water;

the eighth cascade experiences less sediment input;

The ninth cascade receives a more stable environmental flow.

In this way, most problems are solved before the water reaches the ravines.

Engineering priority of the project

Recommended allocation of effort and investment:

Stage 1 - Upper slopes (≈40%)

hydrology;

erosion control;

microcascade;

infiltration;

formation of primary vegetation.

Stage 2 – Medium slopes (≈35%)

reforestation;

accumulation of organic matter;

soil development;

creation of a forest "sponge".

Stage 3 - Remaining cascades (≈25%)

riverbed;

floodplains;

foot;

coast;

marine ecosystems.

These percentages are a conceptual guideline for the allocation of attention in the project and should be refined for each specific basin, taking into account its geology, climate and ecosystem status.

The main idea of ​​DREVO

Most projects manage waterin rivers.

DREVO offers water managementbefore the stream appeared.

Out of tune.

Not in the ravine.

Not in the dam.

And in the soil of the upper and middle slopes.

This is where the future river is born.

Therefore, the main object of restoration is not the watercourses themselves, butupper and middle slopes, where the majority of the water, soil and forest potential of the entire mountain system is formed.