Scientists in the Canary Islands and Portugal are collecting water from fog to enable reforestation of degraded landscapes
The fog collectors on the hillside in Gran Canaria are helping to restore laurisilva forest in areas at risk of desertification.Another device being tested alongside the fog collectors is the “cocoon”, a biodegradable, doughnut-shaped container made of recycled cardboard that surrounds the hole where a seedling is planted and can hold 25 litres of water. It provides water and shelter for the seedling, at least during its first year, which is usually the most critical.
A lid reduces evaporation loss from the bowl, and the cocoon also protects the seedling from small herbivores. The cocoon is buried in the ground and is initially filled manually with water, thereafter by rainfall and, in the Canaries and Portugal, with water from fog collectors., Italy and Greece, where they were planted in a variety of soils and climates alongside a control group planted in the conventional way.
With extreme weather likely to lead to more fires, it is hoped that these techniques will speed up the decades-long process of reforestation. “We are tackling reforestation in a more viable and effective way, acting in areas that are particularly vulnerable to climate change and desertification,” says Carabassa.
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