Alternate Technologies

Desert conditions (above) make alternate technologies in water conservation imperative and challenging.

Extremely low winter temperatures and blizzard conditions during the winter of 2001 and 2002 devastated the livestock in Mongolia prompting SLI to recommend building cattle fencing for live stock protection and snow fence trials for capturing wind blown snows for moisture retention to improve forage and gardens. Winter 2003 gave us the first opportunity to start field trials for both the cattle fencing and snow fencing.

Both fences have proved to be of great use and had attracted attentions with the Government sending veterinarians to inspect the installation. Livestock losses in the project area were high in 2001 and 2002 with a 30% yearly loss of all livestock and leaving the living cattle and sheep with little fat reserve which led to severely underweight newborn lambs and calves. Both forage improvement and vegetable gardening are relatively new to this formerly nomadic population.

Snow fences are generally made of a 50% open design where there is a dramatic down wing (leeward) lowering of the wind velocity allowing the snow to settle in a drift. Blowing snow, under high wind conditions, will sublimate or evaporate from the solid to the vapor state with in two miles if not harvested in drifts. Salvaging extra moisture for early spring forage and gardens can mean the difference between a successful or minimum harvest in this land of extremes. Our local Heroes designed a vertical slat fence much like the one pictured, two meters high using salvaged boards woven with wire from an old barbed wire fence the unwound.

See thumbnails below for comparison. Photo courtesy of UWYO.

Additionally dirt mounds, standing crop and straw were tried in the gardens. An innovation the local workers discovered was to rake the course straw and stalks into a six food donut or ring shape placed a few feet apart.

Additionally dirt mounds, standing crop and straw were tried in the gardens. An innovation the local workers discovered was to rake the course straw and stalks into a six food donut or ring shape placed a few feet apart.