Kipepeo Forest Farm

Project size: 1.26 acres

Agalakottai, Tamil Nadu, India

March 2023 - November 2023

Key features: Regenerative design, wild zone, food forest, earthworks, species diversification

Project team: Theertha Ravindran (Project lead); Sanjana Radhakrishnan, Varun Behroonani, Himanshu Arteev.

Elevation: 1030 metres above sea level

Annual rainfall: 822 mm / 32 inches

Climate: Tropical Savana

Bioregion: Southern Tropical Mixed Deciduous Forests / Dry Evergreen Forests

Soil type: Sandy Clay Loam, Loamy Sand

Masterplan / Design

This 1.26-acre site is nestled between a rock outcrop and community pond in close proximity to Jowlagiri Reserve Forest, making it an elephant corridor. The abutting rock outcrop slopes into the land bringing a high volume of water that runs off the land and flows into the neighboring pond.

The clients prioritized the preservation of the land and therefore the project vision focused on active restoration of floral biodiversity, regenerative agroforestry, and integrated water management. The vision was brought to life by strategizing the slowing down and infiltration of water from the rock outcrop through ponds, basins and bioswale. The focus for planting was to create a robust native living fence for privacy as well as a barrier that supports life, introduce native species based on the detail study of the bioregion, and to create layered planting systems through Food Forest guilds to introduce edible species that the clients can rely on.

Since the land supported a microhabitat for grasses, an area was left untouched for natural regeneration of grassland species.

Environmental Study and Zoning

Design Details

Earthworks map

Planning for water from larger catchment

Section of road and Avenue planting

Living fence layers

Zuni Bowl design

Gazebo design

Diversion bunds on road

Living fence & Design

Site photos

Naringi crenulata (Tooth - Lead Limonia)

Cipadessa baccifera (Oriental purpleberry)

Site view from rock outcrop (Photo by client)

Soil profile

Turtle found tangled in cloth close to site

Implementation

To translate the design vision into reality, the team led the turnkey implementation of earthworks and planting across two site visits. The focus was mainly:

Implementing a network of earthworks that promotes rain water infiltration.
Active assistance of regeneration by introducing native and contextual tree species in the Wild zone.
Introducing biomass species for improvement in organic matter on site and for soil regeneration.
Implementation of food forest guilds to introduce a layered system of edible species.
Introducing new methodologies of maintenance on the land with the caretaker and client for the maintenance to be intuitive and responsive.
Strategic soil management of soil from earthworks by creating raised pathways, pollinator gardens and raised vegetable gardens.