Fencing Work - Afforestation, Reforestation and Forest Restoration in Arid and Semi-arid Tropics - page 84

Fig. 4.6 Live-hedge fence
made of closely planted
Opuntia cactus
binders and moisture conservation structures. At times, it is possible to align a fence
on contour, and under these circumstances, the live hedge will serve as a contour
vegetative hedge (CVH) for a long time (Fig. 4.6 ).
Live hedge by itself can be scarcely depended upon as a primary fence in arid
areas. Growth of the plants is so slow that it will take many years before the hedge
is an effective barrier. The plantation will have to be planned those many years in
advance, which is not always feasible. It is also unlikely that the hedge will grow
uniformly all along without gaps in between. Repeated resowing or replanting will
be necessary and therefore different sections will have different heights, and there
will always be some weak spots in the fence. Sometimes, biotic pressure can be so
great that the fence itself will need some protection.
To establish a live hedge along a ditch-cum-bund fence, the bund of the fence
should be sown with seeds of appropriate species. Sowing can be done at the same
time as the general sowing work in the plantation. After first rain showers, it should
be carefully inspected for germination and if there are stretches where germination
has failed to come up, resowing should be done. Resowing can be done twice if the
rainy season is sufficiently long. Seeds should be dibbled at a prescribed spacing,
commonly 0.50 m, in 3-5 parallel lines on the bund of the fence. The germinated
seedlings should be cared for properly, with timely weeding and hoeing.
In case of a stone wall fence, a parallel trench of an appropriate section—normally
the same as that of a contour trench— should be dug all along the wall, and seeds of
suitable species should be sown on its bund. After first showers, careful examination
of the germination should be carried out and if there are stretches where germination
has failed to come up, resowing should be done. Resowing can be done twice if the
rainy season is sufficiently long. Seeds should be dibbled at a prescribed spacing,
commonly 0.50 m. The germinated seedlings should be cared for and maintained
with timely weeding and hoeing. On the outer side of the wall another live hedge
can be raised with choice of species so made that no animals will browse it (e.g. by
planting cuttings of Euphorbia spp .)
A barbed wire fence can also be reinforced with a live hedge. A trench of ap-
propriate section may be dug all along, both inside and outside the fence. Suitable
species of thorny species may be sown on the bund. In sandy areas it will be enough
to create a mulch line all along the fence and sow seeds of a suitable species on the