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Home is Where the Heart Is

Image (c) Duc_Hoiliday, Al-Chubayish, 1977. "Marsh Arabs."

One of the most compelling, and recurring, conversations I have in Iraq is the heartfelt attachment felt by all to the very idea of marshland life. Even those who have never left the concrete tangles of their urban homes wax poetic about the soothing stillness; the cool blues and greens. And even those who have now re-established themselves in "proper" urban trades and "proper" brick homes regret the loss of close community and ample opportunity for cultivation. Heartfelt thanks to Nina Moreno for helping us kindle a bit of hope that these children's grandchildren will know the thrill of fishing among the salt grasses.

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About This Project

Collapse of the marsh ecosystems of southern Iraq after 1991 forced hundreds of thousands of people into urban slums, and led to contamination of the remaining water supply. We will establish three test beds to see whether brackish water returned from oil drilling and refining can be used to construct new salt marshes. These will filter water, provide forage for livestock, create habitat for fish nurseries, and give new economic opportunities.
Blast off!

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An ecology project funded by 43 people

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