This is the fourth in a series of guest blog posts by Alissa Emmel about renewable energy projects in Nicaragua.

Erosion in a deforested area

Between 1990 and 2005, Nicaragua lost 21 percent of its forest. Deforestation is a serious issue in many developing countries as it can lead to soil erosion, as well as increased flooding and droughts.  Usually the areas that that are most vulnerable to flooding are the coastal or low-lying areas, but even in a mountainous region, deforestation can have a devastating effect.  Here you can see a picture of erosion as a result of deforestation.

The locals in Sabana Grande told us that recently the quantity and intensity of the flooding has increased.  Like many areas, people often go into the mountains in search of firewood. In fact, 97 percent of wood consumption in Nicaragua is for wood fuels. So what can be done? Part of the answer lies in providing an alternative to using firewood.  For more about that discussion, please see my previous posts on solar ovens.

Re-seeding the forest

Yet part of the solution should be a systematic effort of re-forestation. The women in Sabana Grande have taken this to heart and have, with the assistance of ADRA and USAID, replanted more than 14,000 trees. First they grow native seedlings, as can been seen in the picture to the left. You’ll notice that they have created self-watering plant containers from empty soda bottles.  To create these containers the women drill small holes in the bottle caps and cuts off the bottoms of the bottles. This makes it easier to pour water into the bottle, and also allows the bottle to catch rain. This drip irrigation system supplies the plants with a steady water supply, and only needs to be refilled every couple of days.

When the saplings become larger and hardier they are transplanted to their permanent place on the mountain. While I was in Sabana Grande, I had the opportunity to hike up solar mountain and see some of their work.

Other posts in this series:

1. Renewable Energy Projects in Nicaragua
2. The problem: cooking with firewood
3. The solution: solar ovens
4. Re-seeding the Forest
5. Is renewable energy practical?
6. The Solar Women of Totogalpa
7. Making a biosand water filter