Finding water.

[bushcraftboy]

One method that I think it kinda neat is the transpiration bag, but what trees can we use for this?

I have in mind these:

Birch

Maple

Hawthorn?

Hazel?

Sloe?

Apple?

That's all I have

Can you correct me if any of these are toxic used this way to collect water?

Thanks.

[Ashley Cawley]

I imagine Sycamore might work well?.. with it's big leaves so larger surface area? I don't know really - this is one method I've not actually practised yet myself.

You can also tap the Sycamore (part of the Maple family) in March believe it or not, much like the Birch.

[Ashley Cawley]

I've heard a lot of people haven't had much luck tapping Sycamore here in the UK, but I have done it once with great success, it was a sunny day in March and the tree had it's roots close to a stream, both factors I think played a part, but of course if there's a stream right beside the tree then that's probably an easier source of water! :)

[bushcraftboy]

Thanks that's a very good idea as sycamore leaves are larger, they would evaporate and collect more water. I went to a patch of trees behind my house to see if the sycamore tree was running, but obviously I'm too early. In my head I think that Birch of Maple will give more sap if it has a better water source, near a pond, stream of water, or maybe if it's rained heavily. Thanks Ash!

Well I'm going to test the sycamore every now and then, if they start to run, I'll be tapping these trees right next to a stream (10+ sycamores) and they are very big, so I should get loads, and I could make syrup then. But I think this method is particularly good because you don't have to do a great deal of work, and you do not have to purify it, same as the tie a rag around your leg and walk through dew method :)

Thanks.

[wizardbiz]

i tried this method on a tree in mountains in spain, after around 30hrs with a cable tie sealed well around the neck of a clear bag, i collected 0% water, so didnt work for me, ive only tried once so maybe i should have kept on trying. the theory is a good one so its worth a go. if i took water from a gravel pit, deep and clear water, filter out any debris and boil it, is it ok to drink and or cook with??

[AdrianRose]

It's just a little point but remember that Birch leaves contain a high level of Saponins, so any transpirated fluids may taste a little soapy.

Ade.

[Marvell]

I found a nice table of information on Wikipedia (Transpiration (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transpiration)).

It seems that local water plays a part and that might be an easier way of getting water :)

[KaiTheIronHound]

Eucalypts are fine for transpiration :) probably doesnt help you guys from Europe much though :P

[Martin]

We have quite a few eucalyptus here in Cornwall. It grows out of control at times. Not sure about other parts of the UK though.

Martin

[luresalive]

To be honest transpiration bags are a waste of time, you get very little return and often find the little water you do have in the corner is full of aphids,greenfly and the like, one method I won't be trying again.

[KaiTheIronHound]

The thing about transpiration bags is you may not get much return, but considering how little effort it takes to set one up, its probably worth a shot in a survival situation. Personally i've had quite a lot of success with transpiration bags... And the insects can either be filtered out or they are extra protein!

[Valantine]

Don't forget that trees which can be tapped are also a natural muck filter.

[swkieran]

Martin Devon and Cornwall have loads of exotic plant species growing,it's because of our very mild climate and also very wet aswell,Torquay is full of exotic palms and plants,it's like a flask this part of the world sea on both sides,and very different climate as you say to the rest of the uk.but in the midst of all that the upper moorlands have there own climate once again,I find it fascinating you can be freezing youre nuts off on dartmoor,head 20 od miles to the sea and its like being in a different climate,natures amazing.parts of Devon and Cornwall the places with sandstone cliffs,for those that didn't know,we're parts of a desert at one time.

[jus_young]

A desert with lots of iron similar to areas in Australia. When drilling boreholes, iron is the most common contaminant that we have to remove.

[swkieran]

Since there was a landslip in Torquay Justin and watching a mansion plummet down the cliffs in a matter of weeks,geology has facinated me,I've photographed the landslide over those months weeks :),and apparently we share the same geology as North America we are the only place in the uk that does,so we were defiantly joined to that at one time,unsure about Australia thou but it must of been a huge huge desert :) fascinating really.

[swkieran]

Southampton university did a survey of the whole of Torbay sadly I'm having trouble putting the link up but it's all on the Internet for people to view,and it's fascinating to see the different ages just around our part of the coast,something I never thought of before,all you see is cliffs and rock and never give it a second thought,until now lol.i'll be down there splitting rocks soon hahahahaaaa.

[Silverback]

Thread Necromancy !

[blacksmith]

In Chile the special forces use solar stills to distill their urine!!