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Moisture in the Soil
One hundred fifty
years ago the Hill Country was mostly grassland. Forty percent
covered with woody species, many types of Oaks and other
trees, sixty percent covered with a thick stand of native
grasses. These grasses were knee deep and much thicker than
anything around here now, even areas that have not been
grazed in at least a decade.
It has puzzled
me for some time why we cannot restore land easily back
to this condition. The reason is that the overall condition
of the land has changed dramatically and topsoil has been
lost. Historical accounts vary, but it is possible that
the ground used to be covered with spongy vegetation, something
I am still researching. This spongy mat of fine grass and
moss described in one classic book is not talked about much
but could have served an extremely important function: capturing
and holding moisture in the soil. In this account, the soil,
even in the hottest part of the summer, always had some
moisture and did not get to the baked state that we see
in most of the Hill Country today which makes it nearly
impossible to establish a thick stand of native grasses.
Even when we clear a forested area we need to be careful
not to expose the ground that was protected from the sun
by a canopy of trees to direct sunlight on the ground. This
will bake the soil and make the restoration process much
more difficult. This topic was discussed at a recent site
visit with a representative of the Texas Forest Service.
At this property, we are clearing some of the hardwoods
as well as cedar to allow a restoration process to begin.
Native grasses will be planted and clearings made to enhance
the property for recreation, natural habitat, as well as
forage for wildlife.
I will submit
that mulching the woody species in place, primarily the
Cedar, will replicate the service of the spongy mat that
may have covered the ground. The mulch layer will catch
the moisture and hold it. It also will protect the soil
from sunlight, lowering soil temperatures and preventing
the damaging effects of baking the soil. Erosion control
is another important function that the spongy growth served
and newly created mulch will serve. The process of rebuilding
the lost topsoil will be immeasurably improved.
