Vetiver Grass: A Thin Green Line Against Erosion [Paperback]

Panel on Vetiver (Author), Board on Science and Tech for Int Dev (Author), National Research Council (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0309042690 | ISBN-13: 978-0309042697 | Publication Date: January 1, 1993 | Edition: 1st

For developing nations, soil erosion is among the most chronic environmental and economic burdens. Vast amounts of topsoil are washed or blown away from arable land only to accumulate in rivers, reservoirs, harbors, and estuaries, thereby creating a double disaster: a vital resource disappears from where it is desperately needed and is deposited where it is equally unwanted. Despite much rhetoric and effort, little has been done to overcome this problem. Vetiver, a little-known tropical grass, offers one practical and inexpensive way to control erosion on a huge scale in both humid and semi-arid regions. Hedges of this deeply rooted species catch and hold back sediments while the stiff foliage acts as a filter that also slows runoff and keeps moisture on site. This book assesses vetiver's promise and limitations and identifies places where this grass can be deployed without undue environmental risk.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

For developing nations, soil erosion is among the most chronic environmental and economic burdens. Vast amounts of topsoil are washed or blown away from arable land only to accumulate in rivers, reservoirs, harbors, and estuaries, thereby creating a double disaster: a vital resource disappears from where it is desperately needed and is deposited where it is equally unwanted.
Despite much rhetoric and effort, little has been done to overcome this problem. Vetiver, a little-known tropical grass, offers one practical and inexpensive way to control erosion on a huge scale in both humid and semi-arid regions. Hedges of this deeply rooted species catch and hold back sediments while the stiff foliage acts as a filter that also slows runoff and keeps moisture on site.
This book assesses vetiver's promise and limitations and identifies places where this grass can be deployed without undue environmental risk.

About the Author

Panel on Vetiver, Board on Science and Technology for International Development, National Research Council

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: National Academy Press; 1st edition (January 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0309042690
• ISBN-13: 978-0309042697
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,410,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Green Line for hope, April 22, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Vetiver Grass: A Thin Green Line Against Erosion (Paperback)

I bought Thin Green Line after hearing it rate an excellent on a review over Voice Of America and I wasn't disappointed. To me its a useful work and inspiration in my struggle in Formosa to keep the mountains from being cashed in by speculators, banks, and developers. And, although it focuses on American law and strategy, one can draw useful examples from it no matter where one lives.