| FREdome visionary TRUST supporting:   Operation oasis | The FREdome Visionary Trust CIC Unit 303B The Wenta Business Centre Colne Way Watford WD24 7ND United Kingdom Phone: 01727 823450 |
Press Release
| Contact: Anna Zachariassen Phone: 07949 924303 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 22 2011 |
THE FUTURE OF MANKIND LIES BENEATH OUR FEET – CAMPAIGN TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF COASTAL SOIL MANAGEMENT SEEKS 1 MILLION EURO FUNDING
At the start of World Water Week, Hertfordshire volunteer group submits bid to the European Commission Life Plus programme for 1 million euro funding to promote innovative coastal soil project.
The ‘OASIS MEDia’ project is driven by the FREdome Visionary Trust, a Hertfordshire volunteer group which harnesses ingenuity and goodwill within society to facilitate positive change. This project aims to support countries affected by drought and famine by raising awareness of how desert coastal soil can be transformed into a viable and sustainable habitat for trees and plants.
Long-term, the team hope to facilitate the transportation of billions of tonnes of nutrient rich-treated waste water to desert shores around the world, using the return ballast capacity of Supertankers and other bulk shipping. Currently, empty tankers are filled with seawater on their return journeys which adds significantly to the price of oil, transfers invasive microbes to foreign ecologies and is widely considered to be unsustainable.
As the EU reviews traditional ballast practices, the OASIS project offers a safe alternative, helping to restore arid coastlines, induce rainfall and potentially mitigate the effects of drought and famine. If the bid is successful, it will enable FREdome to work with local communities in Andalucia, Southern Spain to trial the viability of the project and build links with scientific bodies in other countries.
At a local level, residents in Andalucia and East Anglia will be encouraged to nurture saplings in plastic bags of soil in their own gardens, ready to be transplanted to increase rainfall at the arid Spanish coastline and in a line connecting the East Anglian coast to an inland reservoir, as permitted by authorities and under the direction of scientists.
Greg Peachey, Director of the FREdome Visionary Trust, said:
“This bid is a real opportunity to embrace change and support countries where arid landscapes have a negative impact on local communities. This bid will ensure our proposal is considered at the highest level and I look forward to the Commission’s response.”
The project is supported by a number of eminent partners including Liverpool John Moores University, who have taken on the co-ordinating role, together with the University of Seville, Green Europe and City of Santa Pola, with Cranfield University soil science department as a potential expert sub-contractor.
The OASIS MEDia communications project has been pioneered by scientist and inventor, Andrew K Fletcher. He said:
“I have been striving to deliver this project for most of my life, to help countries affected by water scarcity and desertification, who are long term sufferers of drought and famine. Thanks to FREdome and all of the other partners that we have pulled together, this funding application is a major step in the right direction and I am delighted that we have secured €500k matched funding from our partners and university backing for our bid.”
Notes to Editors
1 The ‘OASIS MEDia’ Communications project is a keystone to secure global food, fuel, timber and water for future generations and supports the Operation OASIS approach pioneered by Andrew K Fletcher.
2 The European Commission will commence negotiations in November 2011 and announce successful bids in March 2012.
3 For more information about the FREdome Visionary Trust visit www.fredome.org
4 For more information about Operation OASIS visit www.operationoasis.com
5 For more information about the European Commission Life Plus programme visit http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm
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