Before looking at the effect of bush clearing, we have to look at what is Bush clearing, how do we undertake Bush clearing and for what purpose do we undertake Bush clearing?
So what actually is Bush clearing in agricultural activities?
Bush clearing in agricultural practice is the practice whereby the whole vegetation is cleared and removed leaving the land very clean for planting operation to take place
Land clearing can be done or carried out on the farm using crude implement or mechanized methods
Most local farmers after brushing the farm they use implement like cutlass to clear and then they use the hoe or Spade to stomp the Farmland.
In mechanized agriculture the use of bulldozers is applied when clearing the bush for planting operations to take place.
Now we\’ve talked about what is Bush farming clearing, so let\’s look at the effect of bush clearing during agricultural activities or planting operations
Practical effects of bush clearing
1. Bush clearing with the use of bulldozers destroys the topmost soil
2. Through whichever means is used to clear the bush, the use of crude implement like cutlass or the use of mechanized machines like bulldozer, bush clearing will always expose the soil to direct sunlight thereby sending the microorganisms and some living organisms in the soil that helps to increase the soil nutrient down to places where the root of crops will not be able to reach them
3. Due to lack of cover which is the removal of trees from the bush, it increases the temperature of the Sun due to direct sunlight
4. Bush clearing exposes the soil to erosion and increases leaching on the farm land. This is due to the fact that when the bulldozer or heavy are used to cultivate the land through Bush clearing we end up destroying the soil surface and then leaving the soil to erosion and leaching
5. Yeah this is definitely true of bush clearing as it reduces the numbers of soil organisms like earthworm due to the surface of the soil being exposed to direct sunlight
6. One very major importance of bush clearing is getting rid of weeds from the Farmland before planting
7. Another importance of bush clearing it leaves the land free of all obstacles majorly or mostly when we stomp the trees from the land before any planting operation takes place.
8. Bush clearing leads to reduction of organic matter content of the soil
So after Bush clearing it is advised as a farmer to make use of cover crops after planting to avoid erosion.
It is also advised that the use of organic manures to enrich the soil nutrient capacity should be practiced
NoteThere is no way a farmer can do away with bush clearing but it is important to clear your bush also before forgetting to apply various means like fertilizer application,
use of cover crops,
building terraces and ridges on the farm in order to avoid excessive erosion and leaching
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