parcela construccion logo

Land reclamation: features of cultural and technical reclamation

What is land reclamation and its types?

landfill dump after restoration as a recreational park
landfill dump after restoration as a recreation park near Tel Aviv, Israel

When we mean land reclamation, the first thing that comes to mind is drainage of land plots or, conversely, an irrigation system. A serious problem in the central regions is the overgrowth of agricultural land with forests, which is addressed through cultural and technical reclamation. Removing trees and shrubs, clearing debris from agricultural land that has been idle for 10 years or more is no easy task.

A cultural and technical reclamation project is required. A geodetic survey and a tree-by-tree inventory with a registry of trees must be conducted. Permission from the Ministry of Agriculture is required to remove trees and shrubs. If the plot is privately owned, a felling permit is issued instead, and no project is needed. Area regulations can be found below.

Land reclamation is a system of actions aimed at improving the natural properties of land to enhance its productivity and prevent degradation. Depending on the nature of the impact and the methods used, reclamation is divided into several types:

  1. Hydrotechnical reclamation – involves drainage of waterlogged areas and irrigation of arid lands through the creation of drainage systems, irrigation channels, and other water regulation structures. This is the most expensive and large-scale type of reclamation, significantly affecting local ecosystems. Previously, drainage was widely used to increase agricultural land areas. Today, with the advent of intensive farming methods, efficient water use is more critical, such as field irrigation systems, greenhouses, orchards, and drip irrigation.
  2. Agroforestry reclamation – involves planting shelterbelts, protective plantings, and creating green zones to prevent soil erosion, regulate the microclimate, and improve the hydrological regime of the land. For example, studies on the preservation of chernozem soils, productivity, and soil quality have highlighted the necessity of shelterbelts. These shelterbelts reduce wind speed, retain snow, and thus enhance the soil’s hydrological regime. Forests in ravines stabilize slopes and slow surface destruction and erosion.
  3. Chemical reclamation – includes the application of chemical substances to the soil, such as gypsum treatment, liming, and phosphate fertilization, to improve its structure and chemical composition. Liming reduces soil moisture pH, as most cultivated plants require neutral pH levels.
  4. Cultural and technical reclamation – a set of measures for clearing and preparing land for agricultural use, including the removal of vegetation such as trees, shrubs, grass, and weed overgrowth, stone removal, and surface leveling. Additionally, it includes initial soil cultivation, deep plowing, and subsoiling.
    We successfully perform all these tasks, utilizing our experience and expertise.

Order a melioration project, order land reclamation work – contact us.

Order a melioration project, order land reclamation work

    What if a young forest has grown on agricultural land

    If agricultural land has become overgrown with trees on 50% or more of its area, it is considered improper land use, which may result in fines and the confiscation of the plot after three years of non-use.

    Possible uses:

    • Utilizing the forest for timber harvesting, recreation, or establishing a resort or holiday base if the plot meets the criteria of Decree No. 1509:
      • Area > 0.5 ha
      • Forest covers > 75%
      • Tree height > 5 m
      • Canopy density: 0.8–1
    • Returning the land to agricultural use through deforestation as part of a land reclamation project.

    Restrictions:

    • Logging without an approved reclamation project or a felling permit is prohibited and may result in criminal liability (up to 7 years of imprisonment).
    • The construction of permanent structures is prohibited, but temporary structures (cabins, glamping sites, etc.) are allowed.

    Forest development procedure:

    1. Land inspection.
    2. Submission of an application to Rosselkhoznadzor with photos and a description.
    3. Obtaining an official conclusion.
    4. Development of a forest management plan.
    5. Logging within the established limits.

    If the plot does not fall under Decree No. 1509 or the owner refuses forest development, deforestation is only possible under a reclamation project approved by the Ministry of Agriculture. However, logging may be prohibited if the forest was originally part of the state forest fund or serves a reclamation function. In such cases, the land may be reclassified as part of the forest fund.

    Cultural and technical reclamation

    Cultural and technical reclamation aims to improve the physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of soil, as well as its composition, creating favorable conditions for agricultural use. The main activities include:

    1. Clearing reclaimed land
      • Removal of woody and herbaceous vegetation, moss, tussocks, and stumps. This is essential for preparing land for crop cultivation and preventing field overgrowth with unwanted plants.
      • Mechanized methods are used, such as stump extraction, mulching, and vegetation shredding.
    2. Removal of stones and other objects
      • Removing stones is crucial for improving soil cultivation and preventing damage to agricultural machinery.
      • Special machines, such as stone-picking units, are used.
    3. Reclamation treatment of solonetzic soils
      • Includes gypsum application, leaching, and organic fertilization to improve soil structure and reduce salinity.
    4. Loosening, sanding, clay addition, soil enrichment, deep plowing
      • Loosening – mechanical soil treatment using plows, harrows, and disc harrows to enhance water permeability and aeration.
      • Sanding – adding sand to clay soils to improve their structure. Sand is incorporated during plowing.
      • Clay addition – introducing clay into sandy soils to increase their moisture retention capacity. Clay is best applied in solution form, followed by plowing.
      • Soil enrichment – applying a fertile soil layer to low-productivity lands. Fertile layers, along with fertilizers like manure, peat, and humus, are applied to the surface layer.
      • Deep plowing – deep tillage (up to 60-80 cm) to enhance soil fertility and improve the root zone.
    5. Other cultural and technical works
      • Surface leveling, ridge and embankment construction.
      • Creating firebreaks and improving drainage systems.

    The problem of agricultural land overgrowth with forest vegetation

    One of the serious problems in agriculture is the overgrowth of abandoned fields with forest and shrub vegetation. According to legislation, if tree stands have formed on agricultural land, they must be officially documented. The procedure includes:

    1. Inventory of forest stands
      • Conducting geodetic surveys to map all trees and shrubs.
      • Creating a dendroplan indicating tree species, condition, and age.
      • Compiling a stand inventory report.
    2. Development of a cultural and technical reclamation project
      • Instead of a felling permit, a cultural and technical reclamation project is required, which must be approved by the Ministry of Agriculture.
      • The document includes inventory results, planned land-clearing work, methods for disposing of wood waste, and measures to prevent re-overgrowth.

    Thus, cultural and technical reclamation plays a key role in maintaining land fertility and restoring agricultural use of overgrown areas. The application of modern technologies significantly accelerates the process and reduces land clearing and treatment costs.

    Composition of a cultural and technical reclamation project

    A cultural and technical reclamation project includes a set of mandatory documents and studies aimed at assessing land conditions and developing recovery measures. The main project elements include:

    1. Geodetic survey – conducted to determine the terrain, land parcel boundaries, and the location of tree and shrub vegetation.
    2. Dendroplan – a cartographic representation of all trees and shrubs on the site, indicating their location, size, and condition.
    3. Individual tree survey – a detailed analysis of each tree, including its species, age, height, trunk diameter, and overall condition.
    4. Stand inventory report – a list of all trees and shrubs with data on quantity, species composition, age characteristics, and phytosanitary condition.
    5. Description of soil and hydrological conditions – information on soil types, fertility, groundwater presence, and moisture levels.
    6. Land clearing measures – a list of activities for removing trees, shrubs, stumps, stones, and other obstacles to agricultural land use.
    7. Wood waste disposal methods – options for using or processing felled trees and shrubs, including firewood, wood chips, or composting.
    8. Environmental justification – analysis of the potential impact of reclamation activities on the environment and recommendations for minimizing negative consequences.

    Dendroplan, individual tree survey, and stand inventory: their importance and features

    A dendroplan is a specialized map marking all trees and shrubs, their size, condition, and location on a site. It helps determine logging volumes, calculate timber quantities, and identify valuable species for conservation.

    An individual tree survey assesses each tree individually, including:

    • Tree species (deciduous, coniferous, etc.).
    • Age (determined by annual rings or indirectly by height and trunk thickness).
    • Trunk diameter (measured at 1.3 meters above ground level).
    • Tree height (measured instrumentally or by calculation formulas).
    • Phytosanitary condition (healthy, damaged, drying, dead).

    A stand inventory report is a table listing characteristics of all trees and shrubs, including species, age structure, and sanitary condition. This document is essential for estimating timber volume, evaluating forest biological stability, and planning clearing activities.

    Determining tree condition

    Tree condition is assessed based on:

    • Appearance (presence of drying branches, mechanical damage, disease, and pest marks).
    • Bark color and texture (irregularities may indicate disease or aging).
    • Foliage and needles (poor growth, yellowing, premature leaf drop suggest problems).
    • Presence of rot and fungi (internal wood decay).

    Practical importance of tree inventory

    Accurate tree inventory is necessary for:

    • Optimizing land clearing operations.
    • Estimating the volume of harvested and retained timber.
    • Ensuring environmental safety (preserving trees to prevent soil erosion).
    • Complying with environmental laws (protecting valuable species and habitats).

    A cultural and technical reclamation project enables efficient land preparation for agriculture while minimizing environmental damage and optimizing wood resource use.