Landslides are one of the most threatening disasters during the rainy season. Some areas of Indonesia even experience this. Most recently, a landslide occurred in Kupang City on Monday, January 25, early morning.
Landslides can actually be prevented in various ways, one of which is by planting plants that are capable of preventing landslides and erosion. Indonesian President Joko Widodo also had plans to find several plants to prevent landslides.
“I think vetiver plants, fragrant roots, I will find as many seeds and seeds as possible so that we can plant them, especially in Lebak and Bogor Regency,” the President said when receiving a number of regional heads at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday, January 8, as quoted by Antara. from the bnpb.go.id site.
Vetiver is often used to prevent landslides. This plant has several names, ranging from useur, babau root, banda root, Rarawestu, and many more.
This plant with the Latin name Chrysophogon Zizaionide also has several other benefits, for example, its leaves can absorb carbon, repel pests, and can even be used as a paper base.
Meanwhile, the roots can bind the soil, so as to prevent landslides, flooding, improve water quality, protect infrastructure, absorb toxins, and fertilize the soil.
Although it has various benefits, in Indonesia this plant is only used as an essential oil producer. Whereas abroad, these plants are widely used for various ecological and phytoremediation purposes (improving the environment with plants).
Fragrant roots can also be used for cliff stabilization with Vetiver Grass Technology (VGT) or Vetiver System (VS) technology. VS is a simple, low-cost technology that utilizes live vetiver plants for soil and water conservation and environmental protection.
Apart from being cheap, this technology is practical, easy to maintain, and very effective in controlling soil erosion and sedimentation, conserving water, and stabilizing and rehabilitating land.
VS is also easy to control because it does not produce flowers and seeds, so that it does not grow wild like reeds. What makes vetiver special is its root system. This plant has fibrous roots and is able to stab the ground, even the roots can reach 5.2 meters and penetrate hard, rocky soil and other hard layers of 15 cm thick.
These roots work like column iron penetrating the soil texture layer. At the same time, the roots also hold soil particles with the roots. This condition is able to prevent erosion due to wind and water.
