Barren Land: Ecosystems with less than a third of their surface covered in plants or other forms of cover. Barren Land is characterised by sparse soil, sand, or rocks. Deserts, dry salt flats, beaches, sand dunes, exposed rock, strip mines, quaries, and gravel pits are examples of barren terrain.
Barren Land types
Here are the most common type of barren lands found all over the world:
Bare Exposed Rock
Areas of bedrock exposure, desert pavement, scarps, talus, slides, volcanic debris, rock glaciers, and other rock accumulations without plant cover characterise these habitats. Rock exposures in tundra areas are not included.
Beaches
Those habitats have smooth sloping accumulations of sand and gravel along their shorelines. Inland, the surface is stable, although the shoreward portion is prone to wind and water erosion, as well as deposits in protected regions.
Dry Salt Flats:
Those habitats exist in the flat-floored bottoms of interior desert basins yet aren’t considered wetlands.
Mixed Barren Land:
Those areas where there is a mix of barren land features and the dominant land use takes up less than two-thirds of the total area. For example, in a desert region, salt flats, sandy areas, bare rock, surface extraction, and transitional operations may all be present in close vicinity.
Sandy Areas Other Than Beaches:
Those habitats are predominantly made up of dunes, which are sand accumulations transported by the wind. These deposits are most frequent in deserts, although they can also be found in coastal plains, river flood plains, and deltas, as well as in periglacial habitats.
Sand accumulations in tundra zones are not included.
Strip Mines, Quaries, and Gravel Pits:
Those areas where the vegetation and overburden are cleared to expose coal, iron ore, limestone, and copper reserves.
Until alternate cover or use is established, this includes dormant, unreclaimed, and operating strip mines, quarries, borrow pits, and gravel pits. This does not cover flooded or abandoned pits or quarries.
Transitional Areas:
Areas that are in the process of changing from one land use activity to another.
When forest lands are cleared for agriculture, wetlands are drained for development, or any type of land use ceases as areas become temporarily bare as construction is planned for future uses such as residences, shopping centres, industrial sites, or suburban and rural residential subdivisions, this transitional phase occurs.
This also applies to the ground that has been filled, such as in spoil dumps or sanitary landfills.
How barren land can be converted to cultivable land?
Have a look at the methods to transform the barren land:
Water harvesting:
They first constructed up water harvesting facilities, such as swales, trenches, and percolation tanks, because the land was degraded. These devices boosted the efficiency of water consumption, replenished four ineffective borewells, and provided a consistent supply without draining the reservoir.
Plantation of saplings:
Planting is necessary for water gathering. The first plantation cycles employed saplings from government and private nurseries. A nursery was established to house young trees and plants that would be placed at Polam later. By planting a variety of species, the intention was to revitalise the soil and bring life back to the area.
Fencing:
Fires are widespread in desert areas. To prevent damage, live fences were built around the perimeters, and windbreaks such as massive teak trees were planted to withstand the South wind from the reservoir. Another 2 hectares of the land has been completely reforested with fruit trees. Insects, animals, and birds have found a new home in the fruit forest.
Regenerate through biodiversity:
Trees and plants have been distributed across the rest of the area, with local species adapted to the dry land climate coexisting with tropical species. Even though some people died, diversification ensures that life continues to thrive.
Animals:
Animals play an important role in the regeneration process. Chickens, bullocks, and cows were all part of the daily routine. Eggs and excreta-enriched compost are provided by the chickens. Ploughing and sowing are done with bullocks.
Local crops:
Millets, pigeon peas, and green grammes are among the local crops farmed. Seasonal vegetables from the garden, such as brinjals, curry leaves, cluster beans, and rosella plants, are consumed daily and will be supplied to the IPC’s 600 attendees.
