permaculture

[Rick Valley <bamboogrove@cmug.com>]

> Since alders (black) are  common in our wet valley bottoms we don't see
> a direct correlation from their presence to our ag output. I would
> consider their use in a silvilpasture system as one component and I
> imagine goats would browse them yielding goat poop, effective pruning
> thus a release of N. I've used them (like nearly anything carbonaceous)
> as mulch. They seem to prefer wet feet around here (and they shade the
> stream so well) so their use in upland is questionable (feedback?).
> Keith

Wet foot fond alders are used on rice bunds in some traditional Japanese
systems.

But I don't quite understand
"see a direct correlation from their presence to our ag output"
does that mean you don't do ag where alders are?
Are there no places in your ag zones where alders might do well?

Here where I am I use alders in irrigated places; in non-irrigated areas I
use Ceanothus, Eleagnus (though it fruits best with some irrigation) and
Cytisus (keep that secret, will ya? imagine someone in the SE US saying they
use Kudzu!) ;) I've not done a good trial of real wetland alders (like black
or any of the European water lovers) Italian alder seems good here for dryer
sites.
I also use anything for mulch. But there's mulch and there's mulch. Some is
easier to gather, covers better, and gives better results. That's MULCH!
Alder is in the MULCH category.

-Rick