JOAN WAKELIN BURSARY Fog Catchers of the Atacama by Neil Hall
11/05/2012 © Neil Hall London, UK
JOAN WAKELIN BURSARY
Image of a fog collecting net at the Alto Patache fog oasis near Iquique in northern Chile. When fog passes through the net water condenses into small drops before being collected into a a water tank.
Northern Chile is home to the Atacama desert - the driest place in the world. In many places rainfall has never been recorded and there is no possibility of life. However, people are trying to reverse this desert trend by harvesting coastal fog in large nets. Fog and moisture in the air passes through the net and condenses before dropping through pipes into tanks where it is stored.
Water is a vital resource, particularly in the Atacama where it is scarce. Water is piped to towns from hundreds of miles away in the Andes or driven by water trucks. However, the mining industry the most important part of the Chilean economy uses most of the water resources. Unfortunately, it cause pollution and makes much of the potable water unheathy and full of chemicals.
The fog water is much more pure and people use it to grow plants. A collective of people in the village of Chanaral use the water for an Aloe Vera farm. The Universidad Catolica has a research centre at the Alto Patache site and have found in some area the desert is hiding seeds where life is waiting to grow.
The research has shown that large scale fog collection is an important resource for water for the coming world. However, in Northern Chile it is in danger unless there is further investment from the government and authorities.
(BRITAIN) Picture Credit: Neil Hall
FURTHER WORDS AVAILABLE EMAIL neilgrahamhall@hotmail.com or 07766227770 for details
Neil Hall
Editorial Photographer
+44 (0)7766227770
neil@neilhallphotography.com
www.neilhallphotography.com
