Soil Conservation

 

Implementation of Land Rehabilitation activities and

Soil Conservation (RLKT) Sandy beach

Beny Harjadi, Agung Wahyu Nugroho

Susi Abdiyani Arina Miardini Dona Octavia

I. PLANNING

The implementation of Sandy Beach Land Rehabilitation and Soil Conservation (RLKT) activities through the development of sandy land rehabilitation technology and increasing community income levels and travel comfort, involves multi stakeholders. The parties involved include government agencies and the surrounding community so that consultation and coordination with related agencies and socialization of activity plans to the community (Harjadi et al, 2007).

Consultation and coordination from the District (Forestry Service and Tourism Service), Sub-District (Polsek and Sub-District Office), Village to Farmer Groups (Farmer Contacts, Community Leaders and Religious Leaders). In addition, one of the residents' houses was also designated as the secretariat of the Farmer Group (KT) as an office for group members, a place for discussion, and storing equipment and output of research writings. So that the KT Secretariat is also the center for disseminating research results and information centers for the agenda of KT events.

KT meetings are set regularly every month and rotate from house to house of KT members, sometimes also held at the Village Hall or at the school (Karanggadung 1 state elementary school), and at the location (Work Cottage). Sea cypress planting activities also involve ladies and gentlemen of KT members and school children.

A. Location Mapping

The implementationof research and development activities begins with mapping locations for planting wind dike plants and cultivated plants (Figure 1) using GPS (Global Positioning System). The location of problematic land management on the beach berpasir (south coast) in Karanggadung Village, Petanahan District, and Kebumen Regency (Harjadi and Octavia, 2008).

 

B. Necessity

a. Material Requirements

Sea cypress plant (Casuarina equisetifolia) is planted at a distance of 5 m x 5 m. For the needs of seedlings adjusted to the area to be planted. The need for seeds of annuals onion seedlings as much as 200 kg per hectare and corn 20 kg per hectare (Ambarwati and Purwanti, 2002). The materials needed for soil improvement activities are manure with a dose of 20 tons / ha (Atmojo,  2003) and inorganic fertilizers 200 kg / ha ZA, KCl, urea, TSP, insecticide poisons (insects), and fungicides (fungi).

b. Tool Requirements

Tools needed for location, design, and  location mapping  activities include pegs, meters, compasses and base maps. Tools needed for the development of irrigation facilities for cultivated plants include a small tub, pralon, padbor, hose and water pump. Tools needed for observation and treatment activities, among others: sand trap, evaporimeter (evaporation meter), ombrometer (rain measure), anemometer (wind speed), air thermometer, and soil thermometer  (depth 30cm = top soil, 90cm = solum, 150cm = regolit). Tools needed for community socialization activities are leaflets, posters, scientific writings and reports. Meanwhile, to collect social (socioeconomic) information with questionnaire blanks.

c. Power Requirements

The power required consists oft-energy for climate data (temperature,  rainfall, wind speed) and sand  erosion as  well as plant growth observers. In addition, for security, it involves all residents of Karanggadung and Karanggadung Tourism Object Employees to supervise if there are tourist visitors who intentionally or just idly damage plants.

d. Cost Requirements

The cost of seeds (sea cypress and annuals) and fertilizers (organic and inorganic) needed per hectare is around Rp. 25.000.000,- and the cost of seki tar field equipment isRp. 3.000.000,-. Some of the unaccounted costs are in the form of manpower assistance from Farmer Groups from planting, maintenance and security as well as observation by involving active community participation.

e. Land Needs

The area of land is adjusted to the availability of seedlings, the distance of planting selected and the variety of plants planted (adjusted to the ability of the budget budget). From the Karanggadung Tourism Object office as the party responsible for the management of sandy beach land, allows for the use of sandy beach land covering an area of 11.71 ha for sea cypress plants and annuals.

f.  Ameliorate Needs

With the characteristics of sandy soils as above, it can be seen that the most suitable amelioran to increase the fertility of sandy soils is organic matter (BPT, 2005). The addition of organic matter will increase the ability of the soil to be cultivated at low levels. On dry sandy soils that were originally not sticky, not clay when wet, with the addition of organic matter can be quite sticky and clayey and slightly firm, so it is easy to cultivate.  

The results of research by Nugroho and Sumardi, 2010 showed that the addition of amelioran (40% soil and 10% organic matter) to the basic sand media was able toincrease the survival of shrimp fir by 78.3%. The addition of soil (20% and 40%) to the sand base media was able to increase the survival of shrimp firs by 60.83% and 63.75%. The addition of 10% manure to the sand base media was able to increase the survival of shrimp by 65.55% and the addition of manure up to 30% and 50% did not have a real different effect.

Atmojo (2003) explained that the application of organic matter is able to create suitable conditions for plants by improving soil structure to be more crumb, better aeration so as to facilitate root penetration, improve water holding capacity, increase pH, CEC and nutrient uptake. Organic matter is a source of food for soil microorganisms, so organic matter also acceleratesthe multiplication of fungi, bacteria, microflora and other soil microfauna. The greatest role of organic matter on soil physical properties includes: structure, consistency,  porosity,  water binding power, and no less important is increased resistance to erosion.

In sandy soils, organic matter can change the soil structure from single-grained to lumpy shape, thereby increasing the degree of structure and aggregate size or increasing the structure class from fine to medium or coarse (Scholes et al.,  1994 in Atmojo, 2003). Even organic matter can change the soil that was originally unstructured (solid) can form a good structure or crumb, with a moderate to strong degree of structure. The addition of material tocoarse (sandy) soils, will increase medium-sized pores and reduce macro pores thereby increasing moisture content in field capacity. Thus it will increase the ability to hold water (Stevenson, 1982 in Atmojo, 2003). The results showed that humic acids (in humus) are more responsible for the formation of aggregates in regosol soils, which is indicated by the increasing stability of soil aggregates (Pertoyo, 1999 in Atmojo, 2003).

The effect of organic matter growerson soil pH can increase or decrease depending on the level of maturity of organic matter and soil type. The addition of immature organic matter (eg green manure) or organic matter that is still undergoing a position decomposition process, will usually cause a decrease in soil pH due to the release of organic acids during the decomposition process. An increase in soil pH will also occur if the organic matter we add has been further decomposed (mature), because the mineralized organic will release minerals, in the form of basic cations (Atmojo, 2003).

The main source of N in the soil comes from the decomposition of organic matter. In sandy soils, the potential of N in the form of nitrate ions (NO3-) that undergo leaching is greater because the negatively charged nitrate ions cannot be adsorbed by clay / humus so they are often dissolved in water. Likewise, macro element K is more easily leached in sandy soils due to the lack of soil coid in the form of humus and clay, The results of research Gong et al. (2009) in China showed that the treatment of applying half organic fertilizer and NPK mineral fertilizer was able to increase the content of C and N in the soil significantly exceeding results on the application of mineral fertilizers only.

g. The need for spraying

Saprotan (Agricultural Production Facilities) is needed to increase the productivity of marginal sandy coastal lands. The dose of manure ameliorate to increase the productivity of these cultivated plants by 20 tons per hectare for MT I. The dose of chemical fertilizers per hectare such as ZA, urea, KCl, and TSP is  200 kg/ha each. Care for annuals by doing regular watering morning and evening, especially after rain because the soil temperature increases which causes the plant to wither if not watered immediately.

The application of spraying is intended to manipulate the environment, especially sites for growth in sandy land in order to create more suitable site conditions to support plant growth by minimizing growth constrains such as improving soil aggregates, increasing soil CEC, increasing organic matter, soil N, P available and K available.

In sandy soils, especially macro elements N and K will be easier to leach / leaching. This growth restriction can be overcome by the addition of organic matter and also by mycorrhizal inoculation to help the availability of P (Gong et.al., 2009). Organic matter will reduce the absorption of phosphate (P) so that it becomes available to plants. This P element is the key of agriculture because of its very small amount in nature, of which most of it is in the form of unavailable plant parts. Therefore, the provision of mycorrhiza to help the availability of P is expected to optimize plant growth, especially at the beginning of growth.

C. Determination

a. Research Location

The research site is adjacent to tourism (±300 m) which was previously north of the sand embankment (Sand Dune) and further developed in the south adjacent to the coastline with a distance of less than < 100 m (Figure 3). In addition, the development location is adjacent to the village of Tanggul Angin which is a settlement of exodant settlers, namely the resettlement of residents who returned home from transmigration and victims of the tsunami disaster and have no place to live.

Research and development sites for sandy coastal land management have thefollowing characteristic properties:

a. It is a wasteland without vegetation that is less than 100 m from the tidal boundary to the coastal area towards the mainland as far as approximately 300 m.

b. Flat to choppy topography, gentle slopes (< 8%) 

c. Fresh water sources (rainwater or well water) are available

d. There is enough soil ameliorate (fertility enhancer) material (manure or clay) around the site.

e. Included in climate types B (wet), C (moderately wet) and D (temperate) according to the schmidt and Fergusson climate classification.

 

b. Observation Post Mess

The observation post that functions as well as the Farmer Group Secretariat (KT) is located at a distance of approximately 500 meters from the planting site so that access is easily affordable. The post is also close to tourist attractions so that coordination with officers from the Tourism office is intensified. The Observation Post (KT Secretariat) serves as a temporary resting place for Officers, a place for gathering and discussion with the community, a place for information andcounseling, etc.

c. Meeting Place of Farmer Groups  

The meeting schedule of the Farmer Group (KT) is planned at the KT Secretariat office, which rotates from house to house every month. KT meetings are sometimes also held on the beach before planting, sometimes at the Village Hall and sometimes also in the school room. Regular KT meetings are intended to increase the participation of KT members, as well as increase group solidity, as well as the learning process, mutual discussion and exchange of experiences.