Mayan-Soil+Conversation

//Agricultural terracing, like canal irrigation in Mesoamerica, is classic element of cultural ecology because it provides direct evidence of human adaptation of the land to sustain production. The tropical lowlands of southern Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala are a major, active focus of ancient-terrace study within the broader realm of work on ancient environmental change and on settlement. Looking at Ancient Maya terraces, soil, and agriculture across the region also their relationship with the land and architecture of terraces. Then to b e able to track the relationships between terraces and environmental change. Many of these terraces still function after a thousand years under tropical forests and milpas, thereby implying a practical technology with modern, "grass roots" utility. //
 * //Mayan Soil and Forest Garden Conservation//

//Ancient Maya had another aspect to their relationship with the land around them. Forest Gardens were among many ways the Maya kept in touch with their home land. Looking at the plants in the forest ninety percent of them are useful to human beings in some way whether it be for food, religious or medicinal practices. El Pilar which is located on the Belize-Guatemala border and covers 5,000 acres at the heart of the Ancient Maya territories. //

//Forest were and are an un-plowed, tree dominated agricultural field that which is cultivated all year round. It sustains a biodiversity unlike any on the planet, for both animals and humans. The forest gardens are almost entirely maintained with local resources, such as compost, organic material (dead weeds), ash from kitchen fires and manure. The Maya forest garden are the most diverse in the world, in the nineteen different gardens over three hundred and seventy plants could be found. //

http://mayaforestgardeners.org/forestgardening.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Pilar

http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/january-2011/article/the-legacy-of-el-pilar-the-maya-forest-garden

This link is for a YouTube(Comes from the popular-archaeology.com) clip explains the importance of Forest gardening for past and present Maya people.     ||
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