Venezuela - Margarita Island 2004-2007
Fog Collection Evaluation Project
Current Status
This is a slowly developing project due to the need to find a suitable active partner on the island, the need to precisely define the recipient community and its responsibilities, and the need for sufficient volunteer time to put into the project. Melissa Rosato of FogQuest is in contact with people in Venezuela and we have the good possibility of further donor support, so we expect to see progress made in 2007.
Background
The initial stage was a pilot project to determine the fog and rainfall inputs on the upper elevations of Margarita Island. Measurements were made of the fluxes of fog water over the mountains on both the eastern and western sides of the island. This provided some quantification of the importance of fog collection by natural forests on the island and helped determine if fog collection can be a viable new water source for the residents. The fog collection rates appeared to be suitable, as there were indications from the literature that it would, and so subsequent stages of the project could provide a sustainable supply of clean water for rural people on the more arid western side of the island and water for the preservation of the forests on the eastern side.
 Update August 2004
FogQuest supported a student from the University of Waterloo, Melissa Rosato, to make field measurements on Margarita Island as part of her fourth?year thesis project. The initial field period was planned for 15 June to 15 August, 2004. Due to the political uncertainty in Venezuela leading up to the referendum this month, the initiation of the project has been delayed to January 2005. In the meantime, FogQuest is searching for funding sources for the project and establishing partnerships with an NGO on the Island and with local politicians in the communities where we may use fog as a water supply. On 14 August a successful fund raising event was held in the Toronto area to raise money for the project.
Update February 2005
Melissa Rosato arrived on Margarita Island on 2 January 2005 where FogQuest is working with a large, well-known, Venezuelan conservation organization called Provita. Bob Schemenauer went there 12-19 January to meet with the Provita and Inparques (Parks) people, to help choose the sites for the SFCs, to help with the building of the first SFCs and to plan how we will proceed. The initial stages of the project have moved ahead well. There is definitely fog and wind on the upper mountains and the reception in the communities and institutions is very positive, as there are clear needs for additional water. Six Provita bio-monitors will make the measurements on the mountains. They are all young men who live in one of the communities, San Franciso, where the fog water may be used. One presentation has been done, which was attended by a good cross-section of people, and was covered in a major island newspaper. The initial SFC will be installed at 840 m on Cerro Copey. The other 7 SFCs will be placed at altitudes from 400 m to 800 m on the Macanao side of the island. We are grateful to the Rotary International South Wellington Club in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, for funds for the construction of the SFCs.
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