Desert or Paradise

Sepp Holzer is renowned the world over for bringing degraded landscapes back to life using his unique methods of creating water retention basins. In Desert or Paradise he inspires us to look beyond previously tried, tired and failed 'solutions' to drought by following his catalogue of successes, furnishing each case study with photographs, illustrations and anecdotes. These restored or newly-constructed lakes not only reaquify the surrounding landscape to turn back the tide of encroaching desertification, but also support abundant edible landscapes of orchards and crops planted along the banks, and provide freshwater mixed aquacultures. Desert or Paradise explains why natural water management is at the centre of any earth restoration. Injected with Sepp's unique style and opinions, Desert or Paradise gives hope to those who see an apparently barren landscape as a failure from which there is no return. Sepp helps us move beyond conventional methods that trap us in a cycle of dependence. He offers a wealth of information for the gardener, smallholder and alternative farmer, yet the book's greatest value is in the attitudes he teaches. He reveals the thinking processes based on principles found in nature that create his productive systems. These can be applied anywhere. Learn... how to design water retention areas that produce 'living' water how to prevent and reverse desertification how to prevent floods and soil erosion how to build nature-inspired dams... and much more!