soil policy.md

cyberia sits on andosol — the highest-fertility volcanic soil class on Earth. protecting and building this soil is a founding obligation.

prohibited inputs

no synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or chemical fertilizers on any parcel within cyberia territory. specifically:

organophosphates, neonicotinoids, glyphosate, atrazine — unconditional prohibition

soluble NPK fertilizers — replaced by biochar, compost, and living soil inoculants

fumigants — no methyl bromide or chloropicrin

treated sewage sludge — excluded from all food-production zones

violations: documented by soil test or witnessed application. first instance: mandatory remediation. second instance: lease review.

every parcel builds rather than depletes:

organic matter target: maintain or increase SOM% annually — baseline established at parcel intake, retested every two years

cover crops: bare soil prohibited for more than 30 days in any zone — cover with mulch, living mulch, or crop residue

biochar application: minimum 0.5 t/ha/year in food-production zones — sequestered carbon credited to carbon policy account

heavy machinery (> 3 t axle load): prohibited on wet soil and on andosol slopes > 15°

paths and roads: designed to drain laterally — no concentrated runoff that causes rill erosion

terracing: keyed into slope with vetiver or lemongrass contour strips on all terraces > 1 m height

no soil export from the estate without approval — topsoil is a community asset

all organic waste from kitchens, gardens, and workshops composted on-site

minimum two-bin system per residence or building cluster: active pile + curing pile

finished compost temperature proof: 55 °C for 3 consecutive days before applying to food crops

contamination: no glass, metal, or synthetic materials in compost input

annual soil test per parcel: pH, SOM%, P, K, Mg, Ca, and trace minerals — results published to cyberia ledger

watershed monitoring: turbidity of streams exiting the estate after rainfall events (target < 25 NTU)