“We developed a system that imitates pine needles, which are very good for capturing water while also letting the air pass through, and it’s a system that can easily be replicated in other locations and that’s also easy to transport to where it’s needed.”
After fog passes through the metal fronds and water droplets fall into containers below, Life Nieblas workers use the water to irrigate vulnerable new saplings as they rebuild the forest.
“The Canaries are the perfect laboratory to develop these techniques,” said Vicenç Carabassa, the project’s head scientist.
“But there are other areas where the conditions are optimal and where there is a tradition of water capture from fog, such as Chile and Morocco.”
“We’re living with drought throughout the Mediterranean and also in the Canaries,” Carabassa added. “And now, every drop of water counts.”