Arid
Water scarcity, extreme heat
Is this your bioregion?
Regions: Sahara & Sahel, Arabian Peninsula, Iran & Central Asia, Rajasthan (India), Outback (Australia), and more...
Countries: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Morocco, Iran, Pakistan, India (Rajasthan), Australia, USA (Southwest), Mexico, Chile, Namibia, Botswana, Israel, Jordan
Desert and semi-arid regions seem hostile to life, yet traditional desert cultures thrived for millennia. The secret is working with extremes, not against them: harvesting scarce water meticulously, creating shade and microclimates, and selecting species that evolved for drought.
Survival Priorities
Extreme Water Harvesting
Every surface is a catchment. Swales, berms, sunken beds, and cisterns capture rare rain.
See Chapter 5 →Shade Creation
Trees, structures, and shade cloth reduce evaporation and create livable microclimates.
See Chapter 7 →Thermal Mass
Earth-sheltered and thick-walled buildings stay cool by day, warm by night.
See Chapter 7 →Desert-Adapted Species
Mesquite, prickly pear, date palm, and other xerophytes thrive where others die.
See Chapter 3 →Your 2-Year Action Plan
Track your progress. Your checklist saves automatically.
Quick Start Card
5 actions you can start TODAY. Print this and put it on your fridge.
Arid Bioregion: Start Today
- 1.Map your property's water flow during rain events
- 2.Build a simple swale or water harvesting berm
- 3.Plant shade trees on the west side of living spaces
- 4.Identify local springs, wells, and water sources
- 5.Learn from traditional desert agriculture in your region
weltaufgang.org/bioregions/arid
Key Species
"Desert wisdom: "Water runs, soil stays." Shape your land so water walks slowly, sinking in rather than running off."
Find Local Projects
Connect with restoration and regeneration projects in your area. Learn from what others are doing, volunteer, or find collaborators.
Restor.eco
Global platform with 150,000+ restoration sites. Find projects near you, connect with practitioners, and access ecological data.
Can't find local projects? You might be the one to start. Use our Community Toolkit to organize your first neighbourhood meeting.
Deep Dive: Your Bioregion
Arid and Semi-Arid Lands
Complete guidance for your bioregion including climate-adapted practices, local case studies, and a detailed transition plan.
Foundation Reading
These chapters provide essential skills that apply to your bioregion: