You’re familiar with our very effective use of “Gabions” (wire cage baskets filled with rocks) for rebuilding houses in areas ravaged by hurricanes, earthquakes, and flooding, but the Gabion is also useful in other applications. Perhaps you’ve seen Gabions near you, used for fortifying and stabilizing roadways, steep hills, or riverbanks. Because they are so stable, easy, and very affordable, they are great for many uses.

Wilner has been teaching the 2-year ATC students about methods for soil conservation and water harvesting, and one of the best methods is using Gabions across creeks, riverbeds, and floodplains to control erosion by “spreading, slowing, and sinking” the rainwater runoff. Wilner recently took the students on a “field trip” up the mountain near us to see a new roadway protection project using Gabions.

We would like to do a Gabion project in the large drainageways coming down the mountains that would help control flooding and erosion and, importantly, provide a reliable, year-round water source. When you construct Gabions across drainageways, even only a meter high, rainwater runoff will deposit sediments behind the Gabions that will slow the water, let it soak in and retain large amounts of water just beneath the surface of the built-up sediment. This water then trickles out all year long, providing clean, cool, filtered water down the drainway.

Our Sustainability Projects are a great way to help the Haitian people learn how to help themselves. Your gifts of support to our Sustainability Outreaches today will provide gifts for a better tomorrow for many Haitian families.

Rad Hazelip, Assistant Executive Director