Landscape Plantation to Reduce Water Usage at WU
Walailak University is a green university that actively conserves plant genetics to ensure their richness. Also, it serves as a place for education and learning, as well as a new tourist destination in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. In addition, the university has planted landscapes to minimize water usage, which is the largest in the southern region and known as the “Bota Cactus Dome.” This area is dedicated to the cultivation of cactus, drought-tolerant plants, and various succulent plants. The main goal of constructing the Bota Cactus Dome is to serve as a collection and exhibition center for cactus, drought-tolerant plants, and succulent plants. It also aims to be an educational hub for important plant species in the southern region, providing knowledge and learning opportunities for students, and the general public interested in plant species within Walailak Botanic Park.
Moreover, this Bota Cactus Dome has gathered a total of 22 species of cacti, 3 species of succulent plants, and 12 species of drought-tolerant plants, amounting to a total of 220 plants. There is also 1 olive tree, 34 palm species, and 3 creeping tamarind trees, making a total of 106 plants. There has been a collective effort to plant and exhibit various drought-tolerant plants and rare plant species, turning the area into a valuable learning resource for important plant species in the southern region. This has resulted in a beautiful and harmonious environment within the Bota Cactus Dome, enhancing its attractiveness and drawing more visitors.
In 2022, the university planted coconut trees, which are drought-tolerant plants, in the field of the Center for Smart Farm. The size of the field is 288,000 square meters. Coconut trees have a long life span and can grow in any condition of field. The field is equipped with mini sprinklers with a radius of 0.5–4 meters that save more water than the general sprinklers four times. For now, the coconut trees are drought-tolerant plants used for planting landscapes across the campus.
In addition, the coconuts harvested from the field have been sold at affordable prices for local communities and visitors. WU is planning to plant more drought-tolerant plants in 2023 in a field with a size of 160,000 square meters. The plantation aims to plant a new landscape to reduce water consumption and create a learning center for local communities, students, and staff to learn to plant drought-tolerant plants.
Another commitment to the water-conscious planting of WU is the soilless culture and water conservation technologies in cropping. WU has been growing vegetables with hydroponic systems, which is better at saving water than planting vegetables with soil cultivation. Regarding soil farming, water used for watering plants will seep into the soil, which the plants cannot suck up. Meanwhile, the hydroponic systems allow the plants to suck up water continually because the roots are immersed in water, allowing the plant to absorb nutrients and water without any loss of water. Compared to soil culture, soilless culture can save irrigation water by 70–90%.
