en.Wedoany.com Reported - In the Cerro Grande Ecological Reserve in Chile, a fog collection system that harvests water from mist has achieved large-scale application, with an annual collection capacity of 650,000 liters. The system serves the Peña Blanca agricultural community, primarily for crop irrigation, ecological restoration, and drinking water for humans and livestock.
Located within the Fray Jorge Biosphere Reserve, the community has long faced challenges of drought and water scarcity. Local households rely on wells or water tanker trucks for water supply, which is often unstable. With support from the "Un Alto en el Desierto" Foundation and other organizations, the community introduced and continuously optimized fog collection technology. Originally proposed by Chilean scientist Carlos Espinosa Arancibia in the 1950s, the technology has been applied in water-scarce regions of Chile since 2006.
The working principle of the fog collection net is simple: as fog passes through a high-density mesh, tiny water droplets condense and flow into gutters, then are transported via hoses to storage tanks. The community has continuously adjusted the design, materials, and installation positions of the nets based on local experience to improve collection efficiency.
Currently, the Cerro Grande Ecological Reserve has deployed 34 fog collection nets, with a total collection area of 306 square meters. The system's main collection period is concentrated in spring, when fog is dense and winds are strong. Its key feature lies in the multi-purpose use of water—collected water is simultaneously used for irrigation, ecological restoration of native species, and drinking water for humans and animals. Since the installation of the fog nets, the reserve has received approximately 7,000 visitors, becoming a site for learning about nature-based solutions.
Recently, through a project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and jointly implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Chilean Ministry of the Environment, and the National Forestry Corporation (Corporación Nacional Forestal), an additional 90 square meters of fog collection nets have been installed in the reserve. The new nets are expected to generate over 200,000 liters of water annually, primarily supplementing water supplies in spring and summer. Gustavo Carvajal, president of the Peña Blanca agricultural community, expressed hope to continue supporting the community's efforts and to demonstrate the feasibility of such solutions to the world.
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