The Sahara needs more trees with strong roots
Desertification is devastating the edges of this beautiful landscape. Often trees provide the last line of defense against the ever-expanding sea of sand. Sahara-Roots has been planting native trees in Southern Morocco for the past 10 years, in order to help create ‘green walls’ to preserve the delicate ecosystem and reduce desertification.

To greatly improve the survival rate of the newly planted trees, Sahara-Roots now uses the Groasis Waterboxx. This “intelligent water battery”, created by inventor Pieter Hoff, captures water from the air through condensation and rain. It provides much better conditions for young trees and plants to survive in this harsh environment. The Waterboxx’s are used during the initial steps of growing trees until they are ready to fend for themselves, after which the boxes can be re-used over and over again.

Sahara Roots has developed planting techniques in M’hamid over the last 10 years to raise the survival rate from 20% to 70%, thanks to the introduction of the re-usable Groasis Waterboxx system and relying on individuals to monitor the maturation and ensure the proper maintenance of the tree. The Groasis Waterboxx involves a very specific planting technique that simultaneously increases the survival rate and reduces the amount of water needed for the maintenance of the tree. The Sahara Roots Foundation has been working with this technique for years in M’hamid with remarkable success. We aim to further improve the 70% survival rate of the Groasis Waterboxx by introducing rammed earth walls with water collecting swells and a densely woven palm tree matrix. This system will not only help the survival rate of the tamarix trees, but it would help further reinforce the barrier created by their roots against the advancing sand dunes.

Sahara-Roots is greatful to be one of the donation projects supported by Pieter Hoff of Groasis.