What is the name of your organization?
Bosques de agua
What is the name of your solution?
Bosques de agua
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Natural solution that restores the water cycle and mitigates climate change
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Villa Yacanto, Córdoba, Argentina
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
ARG
What type of organization is your solution team?
Nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
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What specific problem are you solving?
We want to solve the severe water scarcity affecting 3 million people in Argentina, directly caused by the drastic reduction (to 3%) of the native Polylepis australis tabaquillo forest in the Sierras Grandes. The loss of this vital ecosystem has decreased water infiltration, reduced water retention, and caused significant soil erosion in the region. This degradation, which severely compromises the natural water cycle upon which local communities depend for their freshwater supply, is exacerbated by practices such as extensive livestock farming and the indiscriminate burning of forests, which contribute to the destruction of the Polylepis and soil degradation, intensifying the area's water vulnerability.
What is your solution?
Our comprehensive solution to the water crisis is based on the large-scale reforestation of Polylepis australis, using an innovative direct seeding method. In our seed laboratory, we optimize germination through a priming treatment that increases seed vigor and eliminates dormancy, ensuring uniform and early emergence upon contact with moisture. Additionally, we apply a pelleting process that protects the seeds from adverse environmental conditions, significantly improving their survival rate in the field.
Sowing is carried out efficiently and on a large scale using drones, allowing us to cover extensive areas, including hard-to-reach zones, quickly and accurately. Complementarily, we address soil erosion in gullies through hydroseeding, using a mixture of leguminous and soil-fixing species, along with organic binders that stabilize the terrain.
Furthermore, we actively collaborate with extensive livestock farms to facilitate their transition towards regenerative practices. This strategy not only improves carbon absorption but also frees up degraded land, promoting larger areas for reforestation with native trees, thus contributing to the integral restoration of the ecosystem and the water security of the region.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our solution directly impacts the communities of Córdoba and, by extension, the entire Argentina, which suffer from increasing water scarcity. The primary target population is the inhabitants of the hydrographic basins fed by the Sierras Grandes, approximately 3 million people who depend on the supply of fresh water for their daily consumption, agriculture, and economic activities.
Currently, these communities are severely underserved by the progressive decrease in river flow and the increasing frequency and intensity of droughts, exacerbated by the degradation of the native Polylepis australis forest. This generates restrictions in access to drinking water, economic losses, and an increase in vulnerability.
Our solution addresses these needs by restoring the Polylepis forest, key to the water cycle, through large-scale reforestation. This will increase infiltration, improve water retention, and reduce erosion, ensuring a more constant supply. Furthermore, a fundamental component is the awareness and education of the rural communities of the Sierras Grandes about the importance of the care and preservation of these native forests, fostering their active participation in the long-term protection of the ecosystem.