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Newsletter — Vetiver related soil moisture, Development aid, Vetiver service companies, Social Media platforms, New webmaster. (NL2025-03)

Vetiver enhances soil moisture.   Measuring soil moisture: Last week I received a couple of photos of soil moisture readings from a farm at Marsabit, (northern Kenya). There had been no significant rainfall since 2023, the most recent was in December 2024, and that was insufficient. These two images show the percentage of soil moisture (measured in mid-March 2025) at about 20 cm depth. Next to the vetiver plant moisture was 40% and further away on bare soil 20%. … Read the rest “Newsletter — Vetiver related soil moisture, Development aid, Vetiver service companies, Social Media platforms, New webmaster. (NL2025-03)”
RIchard GRIMSHAW
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Labels: agriculture, climate change adaptation, community, erosion, policy, waterTagged , , , , , ,

Newsletter – Slope Stabilization Standards, VS Training Opportunities, India & Latin America WhatsApp Groups, Monthly Latin American Roundtable Summaries, A Possible Pan-American Conference in 2025 (NL 2025-02)

Standard Specification for Slope Stabilization Using Vetiver Grass (coming soon) Dr. Mohammad Shariful Islam, a distinguished researcher and practitioner in the field of bioengineering, has done much to advance the understanding and application of Vetiver Grass Technology (VGT) as a nature-based solution for mitigating soil erosion and stabilizing critical infrastructure. In the forthcoming technical guide, which is primarily intended for professionals (including engineers, policymakers, and project managers), he shares detailed technical guidance on the design, implementation, and maintenance of Vetiver-based systems, based on his many years of experience in Bangladesh and beyond.… Read the rest “Newsletter – Slope Stabilization Standards, VS Training Opportunities, India & Latin America WhatsApp Groups, Monthly Latin American Roundtable Summaries, A Possible Pan-American Conference in 2025 (NL 2025-02)”
Jim Smyle
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Labels: agriculture, climate change adaptation, community, Conference, Network News, Promotion & Dissemination, slope stabilization, uncategorized, Vetiver technical publications, Vetiver VideosTagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Watershed restoration using the Vetiver System.

In many parts of the world, villages and their inhabitants are closely connected to the surrounding landscapes, often sharing ownership. Typically, issues related to soil erosion and water pollution are addressed as either agricultural/forestry or urban problems, each requiring different mitigation actions and technologies. However, as urban and farm densities increase, these problems and their solutions increasingly merge and  affect both groups. Vetiver Grass Technology is a unique example where the same plant, vetiver grass, can be used as a crucial component for cross-sector mitigation.… Read the rest “Watershed restoration using the Vetiver System.”
RIchard GRIMSHAW
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Labels: agriculture, climate change adaptation, community, erosion, infrastructure, Phytoremediation, pollution, urban, wastewaterTagged , , , , ,

Newsletter – Vetiver Secrets, Soil Health, Wastewater, Forage (NL 2025-01)

The Secrets of Vetiver. As research is carried out on various attributes and applications of vetiver we are coming to learn how the plant functions and what it can do. A recent Chinese study “Reshaping the microenvironment and bacterial community of TNT- and RDX-contaminated soil by combined remediation with vetiver grass (Vetiveria ziznioides) and effective microorganism (EM) flora“ The degradation rates of TNT and RDX after 60 days of combined remediation were 95.66% and 84.37%, respectively.… Read the rest “Newsletter – Vetiver Secrets, Soil Health, Wastewater, Forage (NL 2025-01)”
RIchard GRIMSHAW
0
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Labels: agriculture, climate change, climate change adaptation, disaster mitigation, erosion, forage, Network News, Phytoremediation, propagation, Vetiver research, water qualityTagged , , , , , , ,

Newsletter – The Vetiver System in 2024 (NL 2024-12)

The Vetiver System in 2024 As we come to the end of 2024 – which marked about 40 years since John Greenfield and Dick Grimshaw began to explore the use of Vetiver grass as an alternative to structural soil and moisture conservation practices in India – it is deeply satisfying to see that, by all appearances, not only has interest in the Vetiver System continued to expand globally, but that the use of VS has continued to gain traction as a sustainable and effective approach for addressing a wide range of environmental challenges around the globe.… Read the rest “Newsletter – The Vetiver System in 2024 (NL 2024-12)”
Jim Smyle
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Labels: agriculture, climate change adaptation, climate change mitigation, community, disaster mitigation, erosion, Network News, policy, upscaling vetiver, Vetiver researchTagged , , , , , ,

Slope Stabilization and Land Restoration (mining) in China

Feng Ziyuan who owns and manages the oldest vetiver service company in China (more than 20 years) has been a serious contributor to the advancement of the Vetiver System. He sets high standards resulting in above average VS applications, and he has been generous in sharing his results. This short presentation “Vetiver System Technology Application” that he made recently relates to his slope stabilization, mine, and gully restoration applications . Feng is also involved with the deign and execution of phytoremedial applications of vetiver for the treatment of waste and other contaminated water.… Read the rest “Slope Stabilization and Land Restoration (mining) in China”
RIchard GRIMSHAW
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Labels: climate change mitigation, disaster mitigation, infrastructure, slope stabilizationTagged , ,

Newsletter – Vetiver and Youth, Bio-engineering, Wastewater Treatment, Global Feedback (NL 2024-11)

This newsletter addresses Vetiver and youth, global outreach, feedback from users, and research news. Sharing experiences and information. The more this group and other vetiver users share their experiences the more people will use the technology. I see this happening in many countries and regions, recently especially in Latin America, India, Kenya, and Vietnam.   Key users, often with different approaches, are making real progress and creating interest for others. Sharing/information sources of current note include: the monthly webinar series “Conversatorio” hosted by Yorlene Cruz (Coordinator of the Costa Rica and member of Latin Vetiver Networks) are posted on TVNI’s Youtube channel;  the new Facebook page – Vetiver in Kenya – attracts a growing readership;  India’s Agricultural World Whatsapp, AW#VETIVER forum,  focusing on “all things vetiver” is expanding and contains lively discussion on a range of vetiver topics and applications.… Read the rest “Newsletter – Vetiver and Youth, Bio-engineering, Wastewater Treatment, Global Feedback (NL 2024-11)”
RIchard GRIMSHAW
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Labels: agriculture, climate change, climate change adaptation, climate change mitigation, community, erosion, infrastructure, Phytoremediation, pollution, slope stabilization, upscaling vetiver, urban, Vetiver researchTagged , , , , , , , ,

Black Cotton Soils (Vertisols) and the Vetiver System

What follows is a reprint of a note by the late John Greenfield on conservation practices for black cotton soils (vertisols) – It should be an interest too many of you.   I was faced with the problems of managing black cotton soils in the early 50s in Australia while working with the Soil Conservation Service. Overnight, a heavy storm had wiped out a large area of a farmers wheat crop and fence line leaving gullies several meters deep.… Read the rest “Black Cotton Soils (Vertisols) and the Vetiver System”
RIchard GRIMSHAW
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Labels: agriculture, climate change adaptation, disaster mitigation, erosionTagged , , , ,

Vetiver Grass Technology – Carbon Farming Management – Research – Global Outreach – Feedback (NL 2024-10)

CARBON FARMING FOR FARMERS – MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES “Soil organic matter is the elixir of life” . … Rattan Lal “A healthy soil should contain 2-4% Soil Organic Matter (SOM) half of which is Soil Organic Carbon.” The Potential of Regenerative Agriculture for Carbon Management and Sustainability  This (18 min) video by Dr Rattan Lal – — the World’s leading soil scientist, World Food prize winner, and Director of Rattan Lal Carbon Management and Sequestration Center (Ohio State University) — is recommended as an introduction to soil and carbon.… Read the rest “Vetiver Grass Technology – Carbon Farming Management – Research – Global Outreach – Feedback (NL 2024-10)”
RIchard GRIMSHAW
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Labels: agriculture, climate change, climate change adaptation, climate change mitigation, community, disaster mitigation, erosion, forage, infrastructure, management, Network News, slope stabilization, Vetiver research, Vetiver VideosTagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Costa Rica: biological control of an insect pest on Vetiver; Colombia: Vetiver history; Vetiver research trends; Vetiver oil’s medicinal potential; USA & India: Vetiver initiatives; USA: Vetiver for climate resilient infrastructure (NL 2024-09)

A well-planted Vetiver hedgerow Costa Rica: biological control of spittlebugs (Aeneolamia spp, Prosapia spp.) in Vetiver / Control biológico de salivazo en Vetiver The following article comes from Yorlene Cruz in Costa Rica. Yorlene is the owner/founder of Vetiver Systems Costa Rica, the organizer and host of the monthly “Conversatorios Virtuales Latinoamericano Vetiver”, TVNI’s Costa Rica Coordinator, and a Director of TVNI. For more details see the full write up of this case study (in Spanish) and a video that shows the affected plantings.… Read the rest “Costa Rica: biological control of an insect pest on Vetiver; Colombia: Vetiver history; Vetiver research trends; Vetiver oil’s medicinal potential; USA & India: Vetiver initiatives; USA: Vetiver for climate resilient infrastructure (NL 2024-09)”
Jim Smyle
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Labels: agriculture, climate change adaptation, disaster mitigation, infrastructure, policy, upscaling vetiver, Vetiver research, Vetiver VideosTagged , , , , , , , , , ,