Saving-Our Land our Water and Biodiversity

Contaminated land can be restored of its fertility. And water in rivers and streams can be purified. Riparian zones can be made on river banks and soil can be conserved. Riparian zone is the area between the land and the river ---25 feet to 100 feet on either banks. If plants which act as filters are grown here,they can improve the water quality and de-nitrify nitrates and phosphorous from the pesticides and fertilizers from the adjoining fields. Even the ground water can be purified. The de-nitrification can turn the contaminants into biomass which would increase the fertility of the soil.When shallow ground water moves through the riparian buffer zone micro organisms change nitrate into gaseous nitrogen. Thus poorly aerated soil under anaerobic conditions develop micro organisms which turn nitrous oxide into nitrogen gas.This is de nitrification process taking place at the level of roots--interaction between environment at ground below and the vegetation above. This magic of riparian buffer takes place at a quite narrow zone, but goes on the whole year around constantly revitalising the soil. as the vegetation removes nitrogen and phosphorous,the nutrients are absorbed into herbaceous plants and thus recycled constantly.The buffer zone protects the river thus reduces sedimentation. Possibility of floods and landslides is reduced, we must give the river space to swell as per rainfall or snow melt.We have to just plant the native vegetation and a  new biome comes into being. Riparian zone allows water to soak into ground in filtered form, recharging the ground water table while cleansing the water. New ecological cycle would be formed with an aquatic food web evolving side by side. Fish stocks can be restored and fodder for livestock can be farmed. Indian scientists have found that a wild weed named parthenium can increase bio-mass several folds, other grasses like Carex or Juncus can be planted.All chemicals in soil can be removed by different plant species, and soil restored of its fertility.Chemicals in water and air can be thus be turned into bio-mass.We can reclaim land contaminated by chemicals from factories,we can clean the polluted water too. Mine reclamation can be done.Ground water can also be purified of pesticides and fertilizer residues.There is one limit and that is that nuclear waste cannot be removed from the soil, water or air. So if people are protesting that no nuclear plant should be made near their homes, there is a valid reason for that--we are poisoning our own land and water. Just like a fish out of water, we have to live panting without a clean environment(air and water). And that means death to us and fishes.....