THE VETIVER NETWORK(INTERNATIONAL)
Patron - H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand
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The Vetiver System is low cost and efficient system for soil and water conservation, erosion control, infrastructure stabilization, pollution control, waste water treatment, mitigation and prevention of storm damage and many other applications. Vetiver Grass, Vetiveria zizanioides, (recently reclassified as Chrysopogon zizanioides) is the main component to all Vetiver System based bioengineering and conservation applications. The plant is unique. It can be used in the tropics and semi tropics, and areas such as Italy and California that have a Mediterranean type climate where there are hot summers, and winters are temperate. The roots of the grass have an average tensile strength of MPa 75 and improve the shear strength of soil by between 30 and 40%. |
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Vetiver Systems Application - A TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL by Paul Truong, Tran Tan Van, and Elise Pinners is now published and available at Amazon.com for US $8 plus shipping. This 98 page book packs all the essentials for putting in place the many applications of the Vetiver System. It has five parts: The Vetiver Plant; Methods of Propagation; Disaster Mitigation and Infrastructure Protection; Prevention and Treatment of Contaminated Water and Land; On-farm erosion control and other uses. The book is based on world wide experience and especially the last eight years in Vietnam. The information can be used and applied virtually in any part of the world that has hot summers and mild (non ground freezing winters). People responsible for working in tropical and semi-tropical developing countries should own a copy of this book. AVAILABLE NOW (at Amazon). |
NEW VETIVER SYSTEM FORUM |
Google Vetiver System Group. TVNI has established an online Google Group. We invite you to join it and become part of the discussion and keep abreast of the latest points of interest relating to this great technology. Share your experience and lean from others. We will still mainatin our discussion board, but the Google Group should be a lot more convenient for those with slow internet connections.JOIN HERE |
VETIVER PRIZES |
VETIVER SYSTEM PICASSA WEB GALLERY PRIZE. In 2007 Tony Cisse won $500 for the best Picassa (Google) photo gallery dedicated to the Vetiver System. TVNI will award another $500 at the end of 2008 for the the best VS gallery on Google Picassa. We are looking for innovative and informative galleries with good captions. |
BEST WEB PHOTO ALBUM OF 2007...
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And the winner of the $500 prize for the best web photo album of 2007 is..... Tony Cisse of Senegal. Tony Cisse attended the First Indian National Vetiver Workshop and was awarded US $500 for the best Google Picasa Web Photo Gallery. Tony is promoting vetiver in Western Senegal. He works from his Naaj Baal farm, Sebikotane in Cap Verd. Rainfall is less than 300 mm per year in that region. He initially planted Vetiver to prevent erosion, then progressed to planting around fruit trees to help mitigate drought effects. Tony Cisse’s Picassa Web Gallery At the end of 2008, The Vetiver Network will award another $500 for the best judged Vetiver Picassa Web Gallery. So share the brilliance of vetiver to the world! A big congratulations to Tony from TVNI. Your pictures are inspiring! |
FIRST NATIONAL VETIVER WORKSHOP (INDIA)
This workshop was held in Kochi (Cochin) from February 21-23 2008 and was ably organized by the Indian Vetiver Network and the Vetiver Network International, with sponsorship from from Tata Tea Co Ltd (Calcutta),The Vetiver Network International, Golden Fries Limited, Coimbatore. and KDHP CO.(P) Ltd., Munnar-Kerala. The organizers acknowledge and thank the sponsors without whom the workshop would not have been possible.
Some 300 participants showed up for the inaugural session and there were about the same number at the workshop’s closing, a good indication of participant interest. Post workshop feedback indicates great interest in the Vetiver System and its wide application for solving many problems relating to soil and water conservation, slope stabilization, water quality improvement, and disater maitigation.
Workshop Overview/Conclusions
Workshop Proceedings - papers (20) New
Workshop Proceedings - power points (20) New
NEWEST ARCHIVE ADDITIONS
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TECHNICAL HANDBOOK. This handbook extracted from "The Vetiver System - A Technical Reference Manual by Paul Truong, Tran Tan Van and Ellise Pinners. Quick dowload and in full color. Vetver System - Vetiver Grass - The Plant (html with images). Read more |
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TECHNICAL HANDBOOK. This handbook extracted from "The Vetiver System - A Technical Reference Manual by Paul Truong, Tran Tan Van and Ellise Pinners. Quick dowload and in full color. Vetver System - Vetiver Grass - Plant Propagation (html with images). Read more |
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TECHNICAL HANDBOOK. This handbook extracted from "The Vetiver System - A Technical Reference Manual by Paul Truong, Tran Tan Van and Ellise Pinners. Quick dowload and in full color. Vetiver System For Infrastructure Protection and Disaster Mitigation (html with images). Read more |
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TECHNICAL HANDBOOK. This handbook extracted from "The Vetiver System - A Technical Reference Manual by Paul Truong, Tran Tan Van and Ellise Pinners. Quick dowload and in full color. Vetiver System for Prevention and Treatment of Contanimated Land (html with images). Read more |
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TECHNICAL HANDBOOK. This handbook extracted from "The Vetiver System - A Technical Reference Manual by Paul Truong, Tran Tan Van and Ellise Pinners. Quick dowload and in full color. Vetiver System - For Agriculture and Related Uses -including soil and water conservation (html with images). Read more |
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THAILAND HANDICRAFT TRAINING REPORT By Zehra Tyabji Last year from May 1st to May 11th, a successful vetiver handicraft training course took place. Here are the results of the well carried out course. Great pictures and information! Read More |
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INDIA VETIVER HANDICRAFTS. Indian craftsmen have for many years made handicrafts from vetiver roots. This file (MB 2.1) shows a whole range of these handicrafts that were exhibited at the First National Indian Vetiver Workshop. See more |
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NICKEL MINE REHABILITATION IN THE PHILIPPINES. Mary Noah Manarang established a vetiver based company in the Philippines over 10 years ago. Today the company, Biosolutions Inc, is active in many environmental mitigation programs. Recently the company completed a nickel mining project in the south of the Phillipines. See the excellent quality of work performed by this company (MB1.7). See more. |
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Le ‘Vetiver’ – un herbe pour les jardins, décoration, et les espaces vert. A picture abundant french translation on both the creative AND practical uses of vetiver. Read More |
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L’utilisation de Vétiver dans l’agriculture et l’arboriculture: By Naaj Baal An excellent french translation that overviews the vetiver system's many practical uses. Read More |
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NEW QUALITY VETIVER PLANT SELLER "AGRIFLORA" Vetiver plants from Puerto Rico are available on Ebay. Read More |
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KENYA: Mseto Environmental Self Help Group Vetiver Grass Project. Located in a rather dry area of Kenya on the Voi River this group is using vetiver for a number of applications including river bank stabilzation and soil conservation. Read more |
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MEKONG RIVER BANK STABILIZATION - CAMBODIA. TVNI has been working with Mr. Tuon Van of Cambodia in stabilizing a stretch of river bank adjacent to his farm. He had been losing land at an alarming rate and a major highway is also at risk. Tuon Van generously shared his photos and experience with us - it is not yet finished! Vetiver suvived 4-5 months totally submerged under water, some of it 10 meters below the river surface!! Read and see more: |
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NET POTS: Here is a neat idea from Paulraj Vincent who lives in Coimbatore,Tamilnadu, India. "When planting Vetiver we normally use slipsor poly bags. If we use slips, it takes 15-20 days to get root establishment with less than 100% survival. Of course cost wise cheap and easy to carry.With polybags we get good rooting and almost nil mortality. But you have to spend more money and labour to carry from one place to another. With NETPOTS the plant grows immediatel, they are very light to carry, cheaper than poly bags a little high than bare rooted slips. Using NETPOTS method Just we have to dig a small hole of 5 inches deep and keep the netpot inside. Why not we try this method for propogation so that we can get quick growth in the field and little spaceto grow more plants in the Nursery". More images. Please send in more innovative Vetiver Systems ideas. |
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VETIVER SYSTEM: THEORY AND PRACTICE China Vetiver Network publsihed "Vetiver System: Theory and Practice" in January 2008. The book is a summary of resarch and applications of the past 20 years consisting of 37 articles written by scientists, totalling up to over 240 pages. |
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ISLAM, THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE USE OF VETIVER GRASS. This is a thoughtfull article by Tony Cisse of Senegal reflecting on the link between Islam and the environment, and how Vetiver grass technology might meet Islamic needs. Read more |
PICTURES OF THE MONTH
Past Pictures of the Month » »
Paul Truong visted the Blackberry Mountain Eco-lodge in the hills of Munnar, Kerala - 2000 meters a.s.l. Unaware of the connection between the Indian Vetiver Network and Blackberry Hills Mountain Eco Lodges, he was completely surprised and delighted to discover the extensive and beautiful uses of vetiver
around the lodge and its nature walks. Note the shallow soils and very steep hills. These photos were taken in the dry season (March). More photos on pdf file show the difference between the growth of vetiver grass and African Love Grass (Erogrostis curvula), previously recommende for ersoion control. Read and see more.
