How can the Groasis Technology help us to combat desertification

Every research plan starts with phrasing a question, or in the case of AquaPro, with phrasing questions:

  • Can we solve the CO2 problem?
  • Can we find the 1.75 billion hectares of land we need to do this?
  • Can we find forestry zones without using fertile farmland?
  • Can we use worthless, once forested semi-deserts?
  • Can we plant trees on rocky surfaces and mountain slopes?
  • Can we reforest disaster areas?
  • Can we do this without expensive and non-available irrigation systems?
  • Can we grow trees on location?
  • Can we create an economic boost through forestry?

The answer to all these questions is: YES! The only thing we need is the willpower to really do it!  AquaPro technology makes it possible!

Past

Some hundreds of years ago, the biggest part of dry land in the world was wooded. Yes!  Even mountain slopes and most of the deserts. Spain was one big forest.  Even that big dry eroded belt south of the Sahara (for example the Sahel) was wooded.  The bare dry stony Apennines in the center of Italy had thickly wooded slopes.  These kinds of areas could be found all over the world.  So we are not talking about prehistoric times.  On the geological timescale, we are talking about yesterday.  That is why we do have water available in these areas.

Today

The essence of the AquaPro technology lies in the Groasis waterboxx.  This instrument collects condensation and the rare rainwater in a smart way and distributes it to the young tree roots in minimal, exactly right quantities.

What about condensation?

Early in the morning on a sultry summer day, cars are covered with a generous layer of condensation.  If that water could be drained off to a reservoir from which it can no longer evaporate, and if that process of condensation and draining could be repeated a several times, then we could quickly collect a huge quantity of water.  There are deserts with a relative atmospheric humidity of 65%, which condenses during the nocturnal drop in temperature.  The problem is that this condensation immediately evaporates when the sun comes up.  With the Groasis waterboxx, this no longer is the case; it collects and stores the condensation at once.

What about rain?

In most of the deserts there is more rain than we imagine; in many areas, there is between 150 to 250 mm per year.  That is 150 to 250 liter per m2!  In some dry areas, like Eritrea, the average rainfall is even 1000 liters per m2 a year.  Normally that water would evaporate in no time; but the Groasis waterboxx does not allow this - it immediately stores it!

Look at the animation to understand why the high quantity of rain in deserts is not sufficient to help plants starting to grow there.
Or download the animation to see it on full screen and send it to a friend if you like it.


In order to see the animation you need at least Flash version no.8 (download Flash)

The Groasis waterboxx

Condensation and rain is collected in the Groasis waterboxx.  With proper design and storage, we prevent the evaporation of this water. The exactly correct slope, and the low adhesion of the water to the waterboxx cover, guarantee that the water enters the reservoir.  Then, the Groasis waterboxx, by means of a wick, distributes exactly the right daily requirement of water to the roots of the young tree.  In this way, a heavy rain shower of ten minutes once a year, can be apportioned to the plant over the next 300+ days - or until the next rain shower.  This capturing and apportioning of water gives the young plant enough time to search for natural capillary water deep in even desert soil.

How can roots penetrate hard soil?

The young tree is placed in the middle of the Groasis waterboxx which is placed almost on top of - just below - the hard soil.  The small daily quantity of water apportioned to the tree, moisturizes the soil under the reservoir without danger of evaporation.  This water restores the natural capillarity of the soil.  In these 'vertical water canals', the roots find their way without any problem - even through stones and rocks.  Trees have been doing this for millions of years.  This phenomenon of restored capillarity is also found when you turn over a tile, even if it has been lying in the sun for quite some time.  Under it you will find moist soil.