Photo retrieved from: www.greenprophet.com
“The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) has planted one million trees in four years in order to stave off climate change and desertification, and to restore its heritage of indigenous trees.
Although the group has planted trees that are accustomed to the desert environment and therefore well-adapted to scant water resources and high temperatures, the Federal National Council (FNC) addressed the Ministry of Environment and Water with concerns about Abu Dhabi water scarcity.
“The UAE used 4.5 billion cubic metres of water in 2009. Slightly more than half of the water supply comes from groundwater,” according to The National. “The agricultural sector uses 97 per cent of that groundwater, while contributing 3.3 per cent of GDP.”
Referring mostly to water used for growing food, but applicable to all vegetation, FNC members stressed that the Ministry must re-evaluate its growing scheme.
“Agriculture needs a fundamental rethinking,” Mr al Zaabi, an FNC member from Sharjah, said at a recent meeting with the Ministry. “What do we plant, where do we plant it, and how do we plant it?”
Failure to do so could deplete groundwater sources. Meanwhile, various FNC members voiced urgent concerns about the Emirate’s backup in the event that an emergency compromises the 83 desalination plants that The National suggests provides 65% of Abu Dhabi’s commercial and residential water supply.”
Read more: Green Prophet
actually trees pay back the water they take by decreasing evaporation rates and holding co2 nd water in their structure
course it would be best to grow trees together in clumps, that hold even more moisture and then plant food shrubs and vegetation under them, between and around them in an extremely dry and sunny- hot environment
On the hot dry side of maui, all lava, they use tarps and fylon to trap moisture due to condensation to water these clumps of trees and vegetation, working to increase the soil’s ability to live and hold water too.
Wind blocks are very important in hot arid scenarios too, to cut down on rapid evaporation on land.