Found a good "Food & Water: Foraging for Survival" link? Let Us Know!

Plants

Just wanted to recommend a great book to link to that is available online for free reading... It's called: "By the Prophet of the Earth: Ethnobotany of the Pima." It contains very detailed info on the Pima's usage of southwest desert plants (specifically the Sonoran desert) for food, shelter, medicine, cordage, soaps & shampoos, and every other thing you could possibly imagine. the author of the book is L.S.M. Curtain and was originally published by the University of Arizona but is available for free at:
             http://www.uapress.arizona.edu/onlinebks/prophet/plants.htm

Wild Plants with Edible Tubers, Bulbs or Roots: The plant life of the New World was always a subject of keen interest to the early explorers, whose narratives not only abound in quaint allusions to the new and curious products of Flora that came under their notice, but also record for many of our familiar plants uses that are a surprise to most modern readers.

Blueberries: (ASG) A compilation of information regarding the medicinal and nutritional properties of the blueberry.

Basic Facts About Forage Plants: Another series of hints and tips from that crazy French Canadian, Richard.

Why Study Wild Edible Plants? (PDF) 12 good reasons to study and know the wild plants in your area.[link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Wild Edible Plant Nutrition (PDF) Nice table with the more common wild edible plants listed.[link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Cattail Pollen Pancakes by Susan Witmore: Searching for another food adventure, but not quite up for road kill quiche? Cattail pollen can satisfy a wild appetite without provoking the least bit of squeamishness. Its bright yellow color has eye appeal. The flavor is pleasant. Allergic to pollens? Well, there are all kinds of pollen, so if gathering the stuff doesn't cause you to take out your inhaler, you probably have nothing to worry about.

Nature's General Store- The Yuccas and Agaves By Christopher Nyerges © 2003: The wilderness provides virtually all of our needs if we have trained our brain and eyes to see what is before us, and if we have learned to identify actual needs (as opposed to whims and wants). A knife and a tool to make fire provide us with the means to produce most of our needs. In addition to a knife and firestarter, I always like to carry a small ball of very versatile twine. Strange as it may sound, a piece of twine or rope could make the difference between life and death. Fortunately, many plants in the wilderness provide us with ample fiber for making rope and twine. see also: Hemp Dogbane

The Life - Saving Birch Tree (PDF) Many people can recognize the graceful Birch tree with its peeling bark. Take note of this information, it could save your life. Birch bark can be used to start a fire in wet weather, the under layer of bark can be eaten, cooked or raw, and you can even take birch syrup from the tree. -Paul (SurvivalPrimer) [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Useful Plants of California (1) and Part 2 and Part 3

2003 Edible Wild Plants, Angier-Trail Guide  text document see also: 2003 Medicinal Plants

FORAGING FOR A HEALTHIER PLANET (PDF) Nature was the original supermarket Common Ground Magazine May, 2006 [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

EDIBLES IN THE PARK Find out how to forage for health, fun, and a fresh connection with nature. Fit Magazine May, 2006

WILD IN THE KITCHEN A master forager shares his secreted ingredients. Veggie Life Magazine Summer 2005

DISCOVERING WILD FOODS Natural Health and Beauty Magazine December, 2004 

WEED EATERS: WILDMAN GOES FORAGING Environmental News Network, June 22, 2000 

Wapato: Indian Potato by John Kallas (PDF) Wapato (Sagittaria latifolia), one of the few Native American names that we still use, is also known as arrowhead, arrowleaf, duck potato, and Indian potato. It is not known as arrowroot. Sagittaria latifolia and Sagittaria cuneata can be found in swamps all over North America. They both produce edible tubers. In the northwest, both the plant and the tubers it produces are referred to as wapato. This was originally a northwestern regional name, but has now gained widespread use.[link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

The Versatile Sumac by Jim Lowery (PDF) Three sumac species, lemonade berry (Rhus integrifolia), sugar bush (Rhus ovata) and basket bush (Rhus trilobata) are closely related shrubs common to Southern California, occurring in the coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and oak woodland below about 2,500 feet. All have tiny flowers with five petals and five sepals clustered at the ends of the stems. The flowers of lemonade berry are white to pink; those of sugar bush are white; and those of basket bush are yellow. The fruits of all three are red, hairy, and sticky. The sumacs can all be used for medicine and food in essentially the same ways. [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Prickly Pear Cactus by Christopher Nyerges (PDF) Imagine a plant which can provide you with several year-round foods, as well as a sweetener, an ice cream flavoring, a red dye, a hair conditioner, flour, and still be a drought tolerant burglar fence. This versatile plant is the prickly pear cactus, providing food, medicine, dye, and landscaping. It is not isolated to remote Arizona deserts, but is found throughout the United States. [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Fragments of the Past Archaeological Insights to Processing Hickory Nuts by Bob Campbell (PDF) In the charred remains of ancient hearths at Stone Age campsites across eastern North America, the remains of hickory nuts are commonly found. Once crucial to the survival of Stone Age bands of hunters and gatherers, the hickory nut is now all but forgotten.[link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

COMMON DANDELION (Taraxacum officinale) The dandelion is a perennial, herbaceous plant with long, lance-shaped leaves. They’re so deeply toothed, they gave the plant its name in Old French: Dent-de-lion means lion’s tooth in Old French.

Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) In the early spring, Japanese knotweed looks like an army of nondescript fat, red stalks emerging from the ground. The tough leaves are often too undeveloped to give the beginner much of a clue to the plant's identity. Fortunately, you can use last year's dead plants to give you a positive identification.

Chickweed (Stellaria species) Add common and star chickweed raw to salads. Mouse-ear chickweed is too coarse to use raw. You have to cook it. Chickweed, which gets its name because chickens love it, tastes similar to spinach. Include any of the species in soups or stews, but cook no more than five minutes to prevent overcooking. Unlike most other edible, wild plants, chickweeds stems as well as the leaves are good to eat.

How to Study, Gather, and Use Edible Wild Plants and Herbs in Early Spring How does early spring foraging compare to hunting for wild foods at other times the year? Certain principles apply to all seasons, while other situations are unique to each season.

Foraging and Ecology Wouldn't plants face mass extinction if everyone took up foraging? This specious argument is put forth by people who presuppose humans to be apart from, not a part of nature. If you've educated yourself sufficiently to identify edibles and to avoid poisonous plants, you're certainly not going to extinguish your objects of study. When an edible is sparse, you'll let it regenerate, while searching for it in another location, where it may be in great abundance.

Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) Shepherd's purse is a mustard. Like it's relatives, it has tiny, four-petaled flowers. The flowers are arranged like a cross, and the flowers appear in long, vertical clusters. While some mustards have yellow flowers, shepherd's purse's are white.

MULLEIN, JACOB'S STAFF, FLANNEL-LEAF (Verbascum thapsus) After exposure to countless associations between this common, widespread medicinal herb and Native American culture, I mistakenly thought this herb was native. I was astonished when I finally learned that mullein is Eurasian: After its early arrival on these shores, the Indians adapted it. They had discovered the same healing properties that made it a mainstay in European folk medicine for thousands of years.

NETTLES (Urtica species, Laportea canadensis) People have been using nettles for food, medicine, fiber, and dyes since the Bronze Age. Collect them using work gloves, and wear a long-sleeved shirt. If you happen upon nettles when you have no gloves, put your hand inside a bag. The young leaves are the best part of the plant. They come off most easily if you strip them counter-intuitively, from the top down.

THE CATTAIL (Typha species) The cattail is one of the most important and common wild foods, with a variety of uses at different times of the year. Whatever you call it, a stand of cattails is as close as you’ll get to finding a wild supermarket.

PEACH AND NECTARINE (Prunus persica) Peaches grow throughout the United States, wherever they've escaped cultivation. Soon after purchasing my first wild food field guide, I explored an overgrown empty lot to look for asparagus. There was neither asparagus nor anything else I could identify, although subsequent explorations turned up a peach tree. Later on, I was amazed to find others in out-of-the-way places in city parks, in fields, thickets, and disturbed areas such as roadsides. People eating peaches probably threw away the seeds, which grow quite readily. Unfortunately the fruits I find are usually infested with insects. I had better luck with wild nectarines. In actuality, nectarines are smooth-skinned peaches, and peaches are fuzzy nectarines.

Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) This tree and its edible close relatives grow in the northeast, across the south, and into California. Walnuts resembling green tennis balls 2-1/2 inches across fall to the ground in autumn.

Burdock (Arctium species) Look for burdock in disturbed habitats, roadsides, vacant lots, and fields. It grows throughout North America except in the Deep South.

Ramps (Wild Leeks) (Allium tricocca) There are no two ways about it: Whether you use the leaves or the bulbs, this is simply the best-tasting member of the entire onion family, wild or commercial. You can use the leaves or bulbs raw or cooked. Any cooking method works, taking 5-15 minutes. You’ll find that ramps are terrific, and so is the resulting bad breath.

Wild Ginger (Asarum species) Once you locate this widespread, common plant you’ll begin using the rhizome in all recipes that call for ginger. I add it to desserts, curries, and various other ethnic dishes. Unrelated to its Asian namesake, various native and European wild ginger species provide a similar but more subtle flavor.

Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius) Use this common Asian fruit the same way you’d use commercial raspberries. They’re juicier and more sour, with more flavor than most of their relatives. The seeds are hard, so if you’re using the berries puréed, it’s better to strain them out.

Mushroom Essentials -- Read this before you even think of eating any wild mushrooms!

Edible Plants found in Tropical Rainforests There are many plants, trees and fruits that can be used as a source of food in tropical rainforests. Here are a few we learned in Blue Creek, Belize.

Orach (Atriplex patula). Orach is rich in iron, and extremely nutritious. Because it is a member of the Saltbush family, it is also slightly salty, and was a welcome addition to the diets of many Native Americans.

The Chanterelle The chanterelle is one of the world's best-known choice wild mushrooms. Professional pickers strip clean forests in the Pacific Northwest, ship the chanterelles to France in refrigerated planes, can them, and return them to the US as expensive imported French gourmet mushrooms!

Black Trumpet Sometimes called the trumpet of death because of its appearance, nothing could be further from the truth. Its rich, smoky flavor makes it ideal sautéed, in soups, sauces, casseroles, mock egg dishes, and a huge variety of recipes.

Shaggy Mane The shaggy mane is the best of the inky caps, with a clear yet delicate flavor, and the texture of fish. Its high water content makes it unsuitable for sautéing, but it’s great steamed or in soups, stews, or sauces. If you season it with herbs traditionally used with fish, you can fool people into thinking they’re eating fish dishes. It cooks in about 10-20 minutes. See also: Alcohol Inky and Mica Cap.

Oyster Mushroom Oyster mushrooms grow throughout North America. If it rains enough and it’s not too hot or cold, you can find them any month of the year, although they’re most common in the second half of autumn.

Foraging for Prickly Pear Cactus, by Wanbliwin. Also read: http://self-reliance.net/cactus.html and http://www.desertusa.com/magoct97/oct_pa/du_prkpear.html

Fruits of Warm Climates is an online book by Julia F. Morton. Organized by fruit.

Subherbs: Foraging for "Wild" Herbs in Your Own Backyard by Robert K. Henderson covers plants typical to a cultivated yard.

Grazing Your Garden Perennials is a short page on gathering and grazing in your garden.

Stinkhorns There's no polite way of saying it: stinkhorns are gross, and they stink so strongly you usually smell them before you see them. Stinkhorns are too disgusting to eat, although none that I know of are poisonous. Nevertheless, people have tried eating the cooked eggs of some species after removing the slime layer. I reluctantly tried one bite of a cooked stinkhorn egg just once, so I could speak about the experience first-hand. I noticed very little flavor and a markedly unpleasant texture before I spit it out!

"Stalking the Wild Bolete and other Fungal Delights" (Mass. Wildlife, Summer 1994, pp.18-24);

"'Shooting' for Your Supper; or, How to Develop Intimate Relationships with Wild Plants by Eating Them" (Mass. Wildlife, Spring 1995, pp.5-7 and 10-15); and

"Wild Plants I Have Known (and Eaten)" (Mass. Wildlife, No. 2, 2001, pp.6-13 and 24-31).

"Wild Things: Foraging for New England's most delicious spring produce" Article featuring Russ in the May 2004 issue of Yankee Magazine: Ethnobotany Cafe Besides some links, main attraction is a chat section, where people ask questions, provide info. Ethnobotany archives, herb exchange, and some links. 

Back To Top

Poison Plants

Poisonous Algae- Not every plant has leaves! Several microscopic marine algae are notoriously poisonous to hapless humans who consume them in shellfish.

Poisonous Fungi- There are plenty of "mushrooms" that look good enough to eat, but watch out! In fact, many of them are sickening or deadly. Exercise extreme caution when picking wild mushrooms, and if you're not certain about what you're picking, don't do it.

Poisonous Leafy Plants- appearances are often deceiving.

Poisonous Plants of North Carolina Disclaimer-- The list of poisonous plants on this web site does not necessarily include every poisonous plant that is known, or that might be found in an urban landscape or home. North Carolina State University does not advise eating any of the plants included in this web site. The information concerning edibility is taken from the literature, and the degree of reliability is unknown. We discourage the use of any of these plants for self medication. HINT: Click on the small photo images for crisp, detailed, enlarged views.

Back To Top

Insects

Insects As Food: This is a FAQ-type collection of tips and tricks for catching and preparing bugs in a more-or-less primitive survival method.

June Bug Medicinal Insect by Brent Ladd (PDF) When toasted in hot ashes, the internal body parts and juices of the bug congeal into a nugget of pure golden nutrition. After peeling off shriveled legs, wings, and wing case, the remaining orb of nourishment can be eaten one at a time or by the handful. [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Edible insects; (PDF) you may feel that these two words do not even belong in the same sentence. You have every right to be skeptical. In all probability, you have never deliberately eaten an insect. However you have probably inadvertently consumed over a pound of insects in your lifetime. [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Taste Like Chicken? Feel like munching on a giant waterbug? How about nibbling a juicy grub or a crispy grasshopper fried up with zesty spices? Hey, don't knock it until you try it, says Bill White, an Agricultural Research Service entomologist.

Insect Snacks from Around the World What is it about North American culture that keeps us from using one of our most abundant and readily available food sources, insects? We could learn a lot from our international neighbors. Many cultures around the globe have evolved to use insects in their diets. There was probably some trial and error involved because not all insects are edible. In fact, some insects are poisonous. But there are lots of insects that are safely eaten by people around the world.

Insect Recipes. Can you believe it? They even give you a hint on where to get insects… Yikes!

Food Insects Newsletter. Great insect articles and some recipes. A must see/read. You might consider subscribing – if you have a strong stomach.

Ron Hood’s Yummy Bugs Facts. Why eat bugs? How to eat Bugs? What do they taste like? All these Q’s and more are answered by the bugmeister.  [link updated 4/7/11]

Bugging Anyplace Wild. Backpacker's John Viehman Munches Maggot and lives! When Ron was chosen by PBS and Backpacker magazine to take Executive John Viehman on a little journey to hell, one of the stops was a pile of maggots... This hilariously funny and highly informative article is a must read for any forager.

Bugfood II: Insects as Food!?! The thought of eating insects may be very unsettling to most people in this day and age. However, in many cultures insects and other arthropods have been eaten as a staple and/or as a delicacy.

Nutritional Value of Various Insects per 100 grams. (PDF) Data collected from The Food Insects Newsletter, July 1996. Yikes  [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Insects As Food For Humans. (PDF) C. H. Curran, one of the better known earlier researchers on the taxonomy of Diptera (flies), while visiting friends for dinner found some splendid examples of fly larvae in the spinach being served, but ate them without speaking of their presence to his hosts. This incident is an example that combines fortitude, knowledge and manners. The term for eating insects is entomophagy. Throughout the history of mankind, eating insects has actually been a common idea. In the United States, the population has been rather guarded, however, of utilizing this valuable commodity. [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Why Not Bugs? What is it that Australian Aborigines, !Kung Bushmen of South Africa, Chinese Peasants and connoisseurs of haute cuisine in Europe know that the average American does not? They know that bugs make for some mighty fine eating!

Back To Top

Online Databases

The Plant Tracker - Database Would you like to use the database at home? You can download a copy of the database or get a copy on CD-ROM.

Botany Encyclopedia of Plants and Botanical Dictionary : Provides a description and propagation/variety information for plants. The information may be accessed by either common name or botanical name. A dictionary of botanical terms is also available, as are lists of botanical gardens, associations, and societies, worldwide.

Vascular Plant Image Library. Incredibly HUGE with (usually) quick .jpg’s. This is the best plant photo reference I’ve found, yet. Only drawback is that you must know the BOTANICAL (latin) name of the plants you’re looking for. Make a list and then check this site out! You won’t believe your eyes!

The Famine Foods DataBase: Plants that are not normally considered as crops are consumed in times of famine. This botanical-humanistic subject has had little academic exposure, and provides insight to potential new food sources that ordinarily would not be considered. Wild! Check it out!

Edible Landscaping Database by Ben Sharvy [7/97] Plant Descriptions, Cultivation Tips, Lore, Trivia, Cultivars by Ben Sharvy This database is intended to bring corporate imperialism to its knees. It will accomplish its goal by increasing your interest in self-sufficiency, thus promoting localized economies which serve the interests of their communities over global economies which serve the interests of transnational corporations. This guy not only has a great sense of humor, but a pretty extensive database. Check it out!

Cornell Univ. Alpha List of Plants. Clicking on the links (Latin & common names) gives you some of the best photo shots on the web. Relatively quick. Excellent resource.

Plants for a Future, in England, is a resource and information center for edible and other useful plants. Has 7000 useful plant database. This is the US search site: Plants For A Future - Database Search.

Ethnobotany of Wild Plant Foods is Sarah Mason's page at the University College London. (PDF) [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Back To Top

Miscellaneous

Sugar and Salt by Paul Campbell, copyright 1998 {Reprinted from the SPT Bulletin of Primitive Technology, Fall, 1998} They did not posses the commercial honeybee and they could not buy over-salted supermarket foods, but aboriginal California Indians knew the delights of sweet and salty. Flavoring substances were there for the taking in the natural world. File recovered from now defunct AboTech website and converted to Onsite PDF.

Foraging in 1876: The Wild Honey-bee — Bee Hunting — How to line a Bee — Honey Hunting often a Profitable Employment — Texan Islands — A Hunter's Disgust — Edible Berries — Roots often Poisonous, and to be Eaten with Caution — Substitute for Tobacco —Insects which are Devoured by the Red People — Pemmican — Preserving Meat —Extractum Carnis : Morgan's system — Preserving Beef and Mutton fresh — Jerking Beef —Catching and Curing White-fish and Salmon. Excerpt from: "At Home In The Wilderness" By John Keast Lord, 1876; Chapter 16

 All Birds Are Good To Eat: This is a FAQ-type collection of tips and tricks for catching and preparing birds in a more-or-less primitive survival method.

Eating Reptiles: This is a FAQ-type collection of tips and tricks for catching and preparing reptiles in a more-or-less primitive survival method.

Survival Fishing: This is a FAQ-type collection of tips and tricks for catching fish in a more-or-less primitive survival method.

Edible Fresh Fish In Survival: Fresh caught fish also provide a completely balanced diet when sufficiently fat & not overcooked.
The main difficulty with subsisting exclusively on fish arises from the fact that in calories they are often far less nourishing than one expect...

APACHE COOKING: Rabbits & pheasants cooking Apache style.

What is a gill net?  Read about it in the manuals, did no know what it was

Make Your Own Tackle  Written for fun, and to recycle old parts, this article can be used for making emergency fishing tackle.

Catching a Rabbit Down a Hole by William Walls (PDF) As I was demonstrating a few outdoor survival ideas to a small group, I noticed an older gentleman in the back who appeared skeptical. Later over a picnic lunch, I coaxed him to share with me how he captured cottontail rabbits. Here is his technique. (PDF) [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Survival Arrows by Longbow (Alton Safford) In an emergency situation, there are two ways to make arrows. You can split them out of logs and whittle them round—the White man’s way. Or you can use tree shoots or river reeds—the Indian’s way. They both work. (PDF) [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Making a Survival Bow by Longbow A bow is not difficult to make, relative to arrows and string, that is. Really! All you need is a good knife. However, two knives are better: a machete-like Bowie and a good pocketknife. Plus, you will need a knife sharpener.  (PDF) [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Survival tips: Making vessels for liquids and cooking - Methods to improvise or manufacture vessels. Leather, pottery and more.

Food The most common cause for accidents in the wilderness is low blood sugar level combined with dehydration. Technically you can survive for 44 days without food, which the incredibly inspiring illusionist David Blaine proved in 2003... This page has some good photos of edible plants & fungi.

The Art of Nothing by T.J. Elpel. Great Article on living off the land without cluttering the darn place up. Very good read. Linked to from the Hollowtop site, so you’ll need to use the "BACK" button on your browser to return here. But take some time to visit the rest of the Hollowtop site, while you're there.

Optimal Foraging Theory Barry Sinervo©1997. Kind of interesting, but ... egghead weird.

Wild Edibles Forum Discussions concerning wild edible plants, animals, mushrooms;   including identification, recipes, folklore, etc. Topics will include wild edible berries, nuts, roots, greens, flowers, mushrooms, insects, marine invertebrates, and any other animals not usually hunted or marketed.   Information about books concerning wild edibles, including field guides, will be appreciated. 

Clams and Clamming The definition of foraging is to gather food that does not try to get away from you. Clams are one type of food that is foraged for and is not a plant. SEE ALSO:

• Individuals Clamming - Western NA
• Individuals Clamming - Eastern NA
• Educational Institutions
• Pictures
• Government
• Commercial Sites
• Books
• Data Bases

You can become a hardcore forager is a getting started guide by Larry Cywin. From Backwoods Home Magazine.

MODERN DAY FOOD FORAGING

Back To Top

Water

At Home In The Wilderness Part II: Water by Tom Brown Jr., from Mother Earth News, Issue #72. Many early native American people believed that water was the Earth Mother's blood. And the purpose of the sacred substance -- in the minds of such individuals -- was to give life to all the world's beings .. therefore, men and women were expected to be careful to avoid dirtying it in any way. Unfortunately, in these "modern" times, our feet have become far removed from the earth, and much of humankind has lost its respect for water. Hence, more and more pollutants are being dumped into our aquatic reserves ... and it's hard nowadays to find a stream, lake, or river -- anywhere in this country -- that hasn't been contaminated...

How to find WATER Some plant sources and the ever present survival still

Water - From Plants: Water may be safely obtained from a variety of plants. The primary consideration is in selecting the correct, non-poisonous plants. Here is a partial list of plants from which water may be safely obtained...

Where’s the Water? © 2004 Gary L. Benton: While we may have many needs during survival, most of what we want is simply desired items. We want more or better food, a bigger or better shelter, and the list goes on. Usually, what we have will keep us alive until rescued, but not always. Our actual needs vary and depend on the climate we are surviving in...

NASA SURVIVAL TRAINING - FINDING WATER This training gives you water-finding tips for both a desert and mountain forest environment. Shuttle crewmembers have 4 pints (about 2 liters) of water included in their survival gear, but even under normal conditions, a person can lose 4 to 6 pints (about 2 to 3 liters) of water each day. To keep mentally and physically sharp, they’ll need to find another source of water before their supply runs out! (PDF) [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Finding Water In the Desert What to Look For When Parched - Finding water in the jungle is relatively easy--just wring out your shirt for starters. But in the desert, when mile after mile of sand and rock stretches in a shimmering sea before your eyes, the search for water can become somewhat tenuous.

FINDING WATER: There are no handy kitchen faucets in the wilds except in the larger campgrounds with their trailers & recreation vehicles bumper to bumper, & six-man tents guy line to guy line. If you're not in one of these, and don't happen to be hiking along the course of a river or canoeing over chains of lakes, where do you find water?

FINDING SURVIVAL WATER Associated directly with food is water. These two are essential to life. Many men died because they did not know how nor where to look for water in apparently dry and arid regions. This article is located on Stan & Holly Deyo's awesome "Noah's Ark" survival site. (4 Pages)

INSECTS, BIRDS AND ANIMALS INDICATORS OF WATER Another great article courtesy of Stan & Holly Deyo. 

Chapter 6 - Water Procurement of the US Army FM 21-76: Also available HERE and HERE

Water, water - not everywhere Pretty good article with some handy trail tricks for finding water. (PDF) [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Basic Survival Rain Water Filter System Good text with accompanying diagrams.

The Pure Water Network - Guide to Water Filters A truly helpful guide for all of us folks that are thoroughly confounded by the recent glut on the market of every imaginable type of water filter. Read this guide before buying an expensive filtration device!

Transpiration. How would you get a drink from a tree? This shows you how. (John Goude) (PDF) [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

"Water storage & Purification" from Capt. Dave's Survival Guide. Fairly good article on Water - finding it, storing it, and purifying it.

No Substitute for Water Short article. 

Finding Water In the Desert: What to look for when parched. by Michael Hodgson. Finding water in the jungle is relatively easy--just wring out your shirt for starters. But in the desert, when mile after mile of sand and rock stretches in a shimmering sea before your eyes, the search for water can become somewhat tenuous.

Collect Water in a Solar Still the Solar Still was developed by two physicians working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Results of extensive testing in the Arizona deserts by the U.S. Air Force proved that when properly assembled, the still can save your life.

Death by dehydration This table shows how long a man can live with various amounts of water in various temperatures IN the SHADE and assuming that he is not physically active. (PDF) [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Water Storage at Home by Rick Donaldson, CET, NØNJY 19June1999. (PDF) [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite]

Fog Harvesting (Organization of American States) This innovative technology is based on the fact that water can be collected from fogs under favorable climatic conditions. Fogs are defined as a mass of water vapor condensed into small water droplets at, or just above, the Earth's surface. The small water droplets present in the fog precipitate when they come in contact with objects. The frequent fogs that occur in the arid coastal areas of Peru and Chile are traditionally known as camanchacas. These fogs have the potential to provide an alternative source of freshwater in this otherwise dry region if harvested through the use of simple and low-cost collection systems known as fog collectors. Present research suggests that fog collectors work best in coastal areas where the water can be harvested as the fog moves inland driven by the wind. However, the technology could also potentially supply water for multiple uses in mountainous areas should the water present in stratocumulus clouds, at altitudes of approximately 400 m to 1 200 m, be harvested.

Collecting Mists (Compass Magazine) The ever-growing need for fresh water in both developing and developed countries is indisputable, and both increasing populations and the contamination of existing supplies will lead to constantly escalating demands. As a result, we need to start considering the use of nontraditional water supplies such as the collection of fog. As clouds move over hills and mountains, the hilltops and ridgelines are enveloped in fogs. Just as the leaves and needles of trees can collect some of the water in these fogs, large artificial collectors, made of polypropylene mesh, can produce a flow of potable water.

Clouds on Tap (IDRC) Six years ago, fog collectors were used for the first time to supplement the water supply of Chungungo, a remote Chilean village. Today, this simple technology has more than doubled the amount of water available in Chungungo, while inspiring similar efforts in other communities around the world. The Chilean experiment was one of the highlights this summer at the First International Conference on Fog & Fog Collection in Vancouver, Canada.

Tapping Into Fog (IDRC) Today, a simple technology collects water from fog, supplying villagers with two or three times more water than they once used and at a lower cost. What makes this possible is the persistent, extensive cloud cover (camanchacas) along the coast of Chile, which creates continual fog as the prevailing winds move inland across the mountains. 

See Fog Catcher Photos. The fog catchers are a relatively simple technology that is now being used in parts of the world where there is a lot of fog or cloud, but little rain and no well water. The first large installation was in Chile. (PDF) [link recovered 4/7/11 - now onsite] Google Images

Back To Top

Please Read The Website Disclaimer!
Copyright 1986-2012, The Survival & Self-Reliance Studies Institute (SSRsi), All Rights Reserved
Site conceptualized, designed, created & maintained by MEG Raven
Snail Mail: SSRsi, PO Box 2572 Dillon, CO. 80435-2572

Links Updated 4/7/11

Recommended Gear:

Aquamira Frontier Emergency Water Filter System


Microfiber
Emergency Blanket


S.O.L. Thermal
Bivvy Sack


Camelbak Thermobak Omega 3L (100oz)


Emergency Fire Starter


Tinder-Quik 10 pack


2nd Generation, Coco Bolo, Fire Piston


Gerber - Gorge Folding Shovel


Knife Sharpener


SOG S10B-K Tech Bowie, Black TiNi


Esbit Pocket Stove


Esbit Solid Fuel Tablets
Light My Fire Titanium Spork



CELOX First Aid Temporary Traumatic Wound Treatment 2g, 10-Pack


Brunton Classic Compass