Tetra-Pot

Pls check the spelling! It is not the ‘Tetrapod’, which is fmailiar for us. While, this new technology, ‘Tetra-Pot’ is through converting this familiar Tetrpot (the concrete structure of four projected corners) into a flower-pot like. In this, the mangrove plant is used instead of flower plants. 

It is designed by Sheng-Hung-Lee, an Industrial Engineer. This invention already received many awards. This technology not only withstand the sea-erosion, as an anti-erosion barrier, but at the same time, it also creates another habitat for the plants, birds, fishes and animals. Let us see the details.

The Tetra-pot is constructed by inserting the mangrove-seeds inside into the bio-layers. Many such Tetra-pots are placed along the coast, horizontal and inter-locked. When the sea level gets up, the sea-water enter into these Tetra-pots through the top holes. Eventually, the mangrove seeds become plants and grow up. During this time, the bio-materials inserted within get depomposed and dissapear.  Whie, its roots spread out through the holes, in search of water and manure. The roots also gets strongly rooted deep.  Thus, with the inter-mixing of the roots with the roots of adjuscent mangrove-roots, by this time managove-trees along with the concrete structures, emerge as a solid barrier against the roaring sea-waves. Along with this, the whole system become a habitat for the fishes, birds and animals.

This new and eco-friednly technology also provide answers to the problems associated with the existing anti-sea ersosion methods. In the case of existing methods, such as sea-wall, groins, etc., the granite-layers get drift into the sand because of the persistent waves. While, the Tetra-pots network ‘grow’ into an alternative habitats on the coast. That means, the Tetra-pots with the mangroves defend the sea-erosion and at the same time creates and remain sustained as a habitat. The existing methods such as the groins, sea-wall, geo-tube, etc. are implemented by big companies and prone to corruptions.   While, in the case of the Tetra-pot with the mangove, the creation of this technology can be done by the coastal community itself with the support of the govt and other non-governmental agencies. The coastal community can also monitor and manage.