Tag Archives: Petra

Runoff and Floodwater Farming in the MENA and SW North America

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When it rains some water enters the soil, the rest runs off. As it gathers strength it becomes the floodwater that runs through valleys, streets, arroyos and wadis after a rain storm. Sparse vegetation, little soil development, soil crusts, and low infiltration/absorption contribute to fast peaking flows in arid regions[1]. Storms lead to floods that may continue for minutes, hours or days depending on the rainfall. Flood depths of 5-10 meters may occur in extreme events. Residents in arid and semi-arid lands have developed a wide range of strategies to hold and capture critically needed water. In many cases floodwater … Continue reading →

Nabatea and The Neglected Global Energy Crises

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Climate change is bringing new challenges to communities around the world. These include nearly three billion people worldwide who depend on solid fuels for household cooking and heating.[i] In Africa, the proportion of residents dependent on solid fuels is increasing and is almost 80%. In Southeast Asia, 61% of the population still utilize solid fuels. More than a third of the people in the Eastern Mediterranean also use solid fuel—primarily wood and charcoal. Social unrest and natural disasters can lead to years long power outages that force everyone back to the basics of fuel wood and charcoal.[ii] With permanent reconstruction … Continue reading →

Go Big! The Challenge of Large Scale Restoration of the Badiya

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The badiya[i] is a region of desert, semi-desert and steppe covering 500,000 square kilometers (200,000 square miles) of the Middle East, including parts of Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.[ii] It accounts for 85% of the land area of Jordan[iii] and 55% of Syria.[iv] To the south it borders and merges into the Arabian Desert.[v] Much of the Badiya has become severely degraded by historic misuse over hundreds of years.[vi] Trees were cut and used for buildings, but more intensively for firewood and making charcoal. This pressure and centuries of overgrazing by herds of thousands of camels, goats, and sheep … Continue reading →