Sharifa Jamaldin Originally published:
April 13, 2020
One of many solutions to combat the global climate crisis is to plant trees. Yes, reforestation is better than deforestation.
Two quick ways to plant trees.:You can plant through the search engine Ecosia. You can plant trees through local or international organizations.
However, it is important to know how forests work. Here are only a few key facts to bear in mind
- It is not simple to create a forest without some expertise.
- It has to be the right trees planted in the right place. This is because some plants are invasive that compete for space. And planting trees in the right soil is fundamental. So knowledge of forest biomes and forest ecosystems is needed.
- Trees and plants not only convert CO2 into sugar for their energy but also stores some C02 in their reserves. Quite surprisingly for many, through deforestation, trees release stored CO2 when cut. They shelter a variety of life forms and terrestrial habitats being interconnected with the environment.
- Trees communicate with each other through their spidery network of roots as seen in the documentary Intelligent Trees featuring the research of Suzanne Simard. Cutting down forests destroy established networks that have taken years to build. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HPgqqdcQXA
- Healthy forests help in reducing the desertification of the land because of their capacity to retain water.
YOU CAN PLANT THROUGH TREE PLANTING CHARITIES
A number of international and local organizations have taken on the immense task of reforestation. It is important to check the credentials of the tree-planting organization.
The Earth Day Network is a good tree planting non-profit organization to start off with.
Earth Day’s The Canopy Project.
The Canopy Project is an initiative of the Earth Day Network and aims to plant trees on a grand scale to improve the planet’s environment for everyone. As part of their annual actions, they have planted +10 million trees since 2010.
Further Reading and Bibliography:
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/365/6448/76
https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/forests-can-help-prevent-floods