Living Land

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In the last few years, several types of eco-friendly

materials have been successfully used to control shifting

sands, such as ecomat and coir mats. Ecomat is envi-

ronmentally friendly mulching mat, fully biodegradable

and made from 100 per cent natural oil palm residues.

These residues supply nutrients to both the soil and the

plants. The ecomat contains elements such as Potassium,

Magnesium and Nitrogen which enhance soil quality and

plant growth. Ecomat was tested in Kuwait in the Burgan

oil field, Kabd and at sites in Al-Liyah.Coir mats are 100

per cent biodegradable mulching blankets made up of coir

products. These mats are fast binders of soil. They provide

an excellent medium for quick vegetation, holding seeds

and saplings in place. The mats are excellent for air and

water permeability. This product was tested at the Burgan

oil field.

Three scenarios are proposed to manage the hazards of

shifting sands in the terrestrial environment of Kuwait.1

The first scenario is the establishment of two green belts,

each with at least 10 rows of

Prosopis juliflora, Ziziphus

spina christi

and

Tamarix aphyllae

trees. The first belt (25

km length) is in the Al Huwaimiliyah area and the second

(130 km length) is at Ras As Sabiyah-Al Salmi. The selec-

tion of sites for the two belts is based on information gained

through field surveys and remote sensing imagery inter-

pretation of the area. The aim is to stabilize active sandy

bodies between the two belts as well as some active bodies

in the south, using environmentally friendly materials such

as ecomat, coir and plant residues.

The second scenario involves afforestation, specifically

the plantation of

Prosopis juliflora, Zizpiphus spina christi

and

Tamarix aphyllae

trees along the Huwaimiliyah-Al

Wafra corridor. The areas proposed for afforestation cover

about 615 km

. Treated sewage water has the potential to

be used to irrigate these plantations for at least one year.

The scenario also includes the revegetation of native shrubs

such as

Haloxylon salicornicum

and

Rhanterium epapposum

which are very effective in trapping shifting sands, and the

stabilization of active sandy bodies along segments of the

Huwaimiliyah-Al Wafra corridor using greenery residues of

Abdaly, Kabd, Wafra and urban areas in Kuwait (recycling

of greenery residues).

In the third scenario, green belts will be established in the

northern and central parts of Kuwait. In southern parts, there

will be revegetation of native plants such as

Rhanterium epap-

posum

. There will also be immediate stabilization of active

sandy bodies and local sources of dust using greenery residues

and mulching sheets such as ecomat and other environmen-

tally friendly mulching materials

The cost, efficiency and environmental sustainability of the

proposed scenarios should be assessed by a multidisciplinary

team of experts. For the final design of the green belt, wind

tunnel experiments will be conducted and the most cost effec-

tive and environmentally sound scenario will be selected.

Case study: Kuwait’s highways

The main threat facing most of the development facilities and

public utilities in the Kuwaiti desert is the sand encroachment

problem. Military camps, air bases, oil fields, agricultural

areas, animal production facilities and desert highways are

severely influenced by shifting sand. Managing the sand

encroachment problem along highways will secure safe and

Two field photos showing severe sand encroachment along Sabiyah Road

Images: National Committee for Combating Desertification in Kuwait (EPA Kuwait,2015)

iving

and