Case Study: Ecosystem Restoration Camp Concept

This is some recent ‘pro-bono’ concept work I have done for an ecosystem restoration camp planned in Somalia.

The goal of these images is to provide a rough depiction of how the camp would be established and the area around it slowly re-vegetated and improved over time.

This is conceptual work rather than work specific to a particular site. But is designed to show the rough design framework for such a project and the approaches that can be adopted.

First, the goal will be to establish basic camp infrastructure, with a permaculture centre and housing for staff. A large-scale tree nursery will be established, to allow saplings to be raised for large-scale watershed/ landscape restoration. Water systems and composting systems and other basic infrastructure will be developed.

The goal for staff will initially be to establish some areas of native planting around the camp, and gardens and other amenities for those on site. They will also prepare to welcome visitors to the camp, who will come to learn about permaculture and aid in ecosystem restoration and tree planting.

Earthworks and native planting with drought-tolerant nitrogen fixing trees and other useful species will allow the desert landscape to be ‘re-greened’ over time. This is some initial concept work for a scheme that eventually aims to restore 300ha of land close to Garowe in the Puntland region of Somalia.