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In Mauretanien, there are considerations with the Sahara Renaissance Project to plant millions of trees in the desert sand. A German researcher finds this idea realistic.
The German scientist, Prof. Dr. Peter Heck, has developed a plan on how to turn the desert on Mauritania's Atlantic coast into a forest.
According to media reports, the Professor of Environmental Economics at the Environmental Campus in Birkenfeld plans to plant millions of trees in the desert sands of the Sahara. Specifically, he is thinking of using Eucalyptus, Prosopis, Acacia, Casuarinas, or Jatropha, all of which can withstand the harsh conditions.
Central to this plan is the seawater desalination plant.
Wind turbines and solar parks would provide the energy needed for a seawater desalination plant. The desalinated seawater would then be directed into the desert to water the trees using drip irrigation.
Mauretania offers perfect conditions for this project because the sun shines continuously, and the wind reaches high speeds. With 750 km of coastline, water is always in proximity.
This initiative could provide food and employment for hundreds of thousands of people.
The Minister of Energy in the Mauritanian government is reportedly enthusiastic about the idea. She anticipates that the Sahara Renaissance Project (SAREP) could bring water, food, better energy supply, infrastructure, and job opportunities to the communities. In the future, up to 400,000 people could potentially live and work in the forest, according to Prof. Heck's estimations.
An emphasis would be placed on developing forestry.
The physic nut (Jatropha curcas) could be cultivated in the area. Its oil serves various purposes such as cooking oil, lamp oil, or fuel.
While the majority of trees would be used for forestry production, a smaller portion would act as a protective barrier to prevent soil erosion caused by wind. In some areas, pearl millet, peanuts, and corn could be grown alternatively. Each unit would also grow staple foods for local consumption, as reported by the Reisereporter portal.
A test area is ready for implementation.
The country of Mauretania has allocated a 2 million hectares area for the project for 50 years - an area as large as the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, stretching from the capital Nouakchott in the southwest to the iron ore mines in the northeast. The corresponding contracts were signed at the World Climate Conference in 2023.
Within the next ten years, the entire area is expected to be covered with millions of trees. This year, plans include building a tree nursery and a small hotel with a showroom on the first 50 hectares, testing a desalination plant, and planting onions on a small area of 2 to 3 hectares.
This pilot project aims to attract investors and secure funding from banks. For the project's initial phase, approximately €2 million was required, with €7.5 million already raised. However, in two and a half years, an estimated €6 billion would be needed, eventually rising to €120 billion to transform the desert into a forest, as reported by SWR. Currently, environmental concerns are being addressed, including the management of the salt byproduct from desalination.