How to Build a Wicking Bed Wicking beds water plants from below rather than above, reducing evaporation loss. They’re giant self-watering pots with water reservoirs at the base. Moisture is drawn up through the soil via capillary action or wicking. They are ideal for growing veggies, particularly in dry condtions. Read more…
Drip Irrigation Why Use Drip Irrigation? Drip irrigation is one of the most efficient ways to water your garden because it delivers water directly to the plant’s root zone. This means less water loss due to evaporation, runoff and wind. It can be used around trees to ensure they have Read more…
Soil Sponge Healthy Soil Helps Mitigate Disaster Risk Water and Carbon cycles are interdependent. The life within soil requires air and water to survive. Carbon-rich soil acts as a sponge that can hold water and release it slowly when needed. In the Blue Mountains, the peat soils in our swamps Read more…
Ponds Ponds moderate climate , making your garden warmer in winter and cooler in summer. They also provide water and habitat for multiple species, and are especially important during drought, fire and heatwave. They are easy to build in a few hours and we have built ponds with the community at Read more…
Paradise Pool in Linden (Photo: Walk My World) Cool Places During Heatwaves When temperatures soar and your home heats up, tempers can easily become frayed and your health can take a hit. Not everyone has the benefit of air-conditioning, and all-day running costs are prohibitive for many people. In these Cool Read more…
Water for Wildlife As our Wildlife Emergency Assistance Workshop indicated, we can support our wildlife by planting native vegetation and providing a wide range of water sources, particularly during heatwaves, drought and fire seasons. This includes providing containers of water off the ground, in trees and at different heights for Read more…
Greening Vegetation can be thought of as green water. More than 80-95% of a plant’s composition is water, so when we see green areas we are in fact seeing green waterways. Individual trees can transpire hundreds of litres of water each day – a cooling power equivalent to two average household central air-conditioning units. Forests Read more…
Cool Homes Heatwaves in Australia kill more people than all other natural disasters combined. Urban areas create heat islands which are hotter than surrounding areas, both day and night. Water moderates climate, but the unshaded hard surfaces of urban areas (homes, footpaths and roads) contain very little water and protection Read more…
Landscaping to Reduce Stormwater Damage We are learning better ways to manage the stormwater run-off from built areas by exploring strategies from other cultures and by observing existing natural systems. Landscaping to reduce stormwater runoff and damage from extreme wet weather events can include a combination of hard and soft Read more…
Stormwater Stormwater refers to the water resulting from rain draining into the stormwater system from roofs, roads, footpaths and other surfaces. Stormwater can include sewage from sewage overflows. By covering water absorbent soil with hard surfaces (houses, roads, footpaths), we’ve increased the amount of stormwater entering our bushland and streams. Read more…
Blackwater Reuse During long droughts there is an ongoing water source available in our sewer systems. At the Planetary Health Centre we are exploring ways we can emulate natural systems and reuse blackwater to minimise the impact of drought and fire. Managing waste water is important for the health and safety Read more…