For the past four years we have been conducting land restoration at Solar Springs. Clear-cutting has harmed much of the area around us and many of the natural buffers that protect our waters from agricultural runoff and erosion have been damaged. To counter this, we apply ecologically-sensitive measures such as stabilization and enhancement of soils through plantings of carefully selected tree and perennial plant species in vulnerable areas. We also design appropriate technologies such as water catchments, bamboo, and agroforestry to catalyze restoration of the land.

Agroforestry is the integration of trees with agricultural and pastoral products. Agroforestry techniques include the following—wind breaks: for structures, livestock and crops; alley cropping: rows of trees widely spaced to allow alleys to be farmed or grazed; silvopasture: trees incorporated into livestock pasture for shade, forage, seed and fruit; forest farming: utilization of existing forest to produce non-timber forest products along with selective timber products such as honey, mushrooms, ginseng or grape vines; and riparian buffer strips: trees planted along water ways to protect and enhance water quality, reduce runoff and provide tree products.