Stechelberg is a small village in Switzerland located at the base of the Schwarzmönch mountain in the Bernese Alps , part of the district of Lauterbrunnen .
86-596: The name "Stächelbärg" is first recorded in 1749 to describe this part of the valley. The area was associated with iron ore mining, which led to widespread deforestation. Since then, reforestation programmes have largely restored the area around the village, which has been declared a protected natural area ( Naturschutzgebiet ) The village is connected by the Luftseilbahn Stechelberg-Mürren-Schilthorn (LSMS), an aerial tramway constructed in 1965, to other amenities and locations in
172-625: A few branches of new shoots are cut and often used for charcoal, itself a major driver of deforestation. Since new seeds are not planted, it is cheaper. Additionally, they are much more likely to survive as their root systems already exist and can tap into groundwater during harsher seasons with no rain. While this method has existed for centuries, it is now sometimes referred to as farmer-managed natural regeneration or assisted natural regeneration . Policies that promote reforestation for incentives in return have shown promising results of being an effective and motivative concept to re-plant globally on
258-464: A large role in carbon sequestration (high confidence) with high resilience to disturbances and additional benefits such as enhanced biodiversity." Impacts on temperature are affected by the location of the forest. For example, reforestation in boreal or subarctic regions has less impact on climate. This is because it substitutes a high- albedo , snow-dominated region with a lower-albedo forest canopy. By contrast, tropical reforestation projects lead to
344-408: A large share of low-income countries' populations, and argues for prioritized inclusion of "local communities" in forest restoration projects. There are calls for a more selective approach to identifying reforestation areas, taking into account the possible displacement of customary land uses. Reforesting sometimes results in extensive canopy creation that prevents growth of diverse vegetation in
430-418: A mass scale. Some incentives for reforestation can be as simple as a financial compensation. A compensated reduction of deforestation approach has been proposed which would reward developing countries that disrupt any further act of deforestation: Countries that participate and take the option to reduce their emissions from deforestation during a committed period of time would receive financial compensation for
516-524: A more comfortable environment in urban areas and reducing the impact of extreme heat. Tree-planting campaigns are criticised for sometimes targeting areas where forests would not naturally occur, such as grassland and savanna biomes. Carbon sequestration forecasts of afforestation programmes often insufficiently consider possible carbon reductions in soils as well as slowing tree growth over time. Afforestation can negatively affect biodiversity through increasing fragmentation and edge effects for
602-574: A non-profit organization Ek Kadam Sansthan in Jaipur is leading the development of a module of mass tracking for plantations. The pilot has been done successfully and the organization is hoping to implement nationwide by the end of 2021. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery explain that about two-thirds of Japanese land is covered with forests, and it was almost unchanged from 1966 to 2012. Japan needs to reduce 26% of green house gas emission from 2013 by 2030 to accomplish Paris Agreement and
688-431: A portion of the carbon removed from logged forests ends up as durable goods and buildings. The remainder ends up as sawmill by-products such as pulp, paper, and pallets. If all new construction globally utilized 90% wood products, largely via adoption of mass timber in low rise construction, this could sequester 700 million net tons of carbon per year. This is in addition to the elimination of carbon emissions from
774-540: A positive change such as the formation of clouds . These clouds then reflect the sunlight , lowering temperatures. Afforestation provides other environmental benefits, including increasing the soil quality and its organic carbon levels, reducing the risk of erosion and desertification . The planting of trees in urban areas is also able to reduce air pollution via the trees' absorption and filtration of pollutants , including carbon monoxide , sulfur dioxide , and ozone , in addition to CO 2 . Afforestation protects
860-529: A range of different challenges. Reforestation can compete with other land uses, such as food production, livestock grazing, and living space, for further economic growth. Reforestation can also divert large amounts of water from other activities. A map created by the World Resources Institute in collaboration with the IUCN identifies 2 billion hectares for potential forest restoration and
946-517: A set of disadvantages, for example biodiversity loss . Lastly, there is also the problem that stored carbon is released at some point. The effects of reforestation will be farther in the future than those of proforestation (the conservation of intact forests). Instead of planting entirely new areas, it might be better to reconnect forested areas and restore the edges of forest. This protects their mature core and makes them more resilient and longer-lasting. It takes much longer − several decades − for
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#17327915780091032-531: A tree plantation. Therefore, the farming of bamboo timber may have significant carbon sequestration potential. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that: "The total carbon stock in forests decreased from 668 gigatonnes in 1990 to 662 gigatonnes in 2020". In Canada's boreal forests as much as 80% of the total carbon is stored in the soils as dead organic matter. The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report says: "Secondary forest regrowth and restoration of degraded forests and non-forest ecosystems can play
1118-459: A year. In 2003, the government of Canada created a four-year project called the Forest 2020 Plantation Development and Assessment Initiative, which involved planting 6000 ha of fast-growing forests on non-forested lands countrywide. These plantations were used to analyze how afforestation can help to increase carbon sequestration and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while also considering
1204-415: A yearly subsidy for lost income. In 2015 China announced a plan to plant 26 billion trees by the year 2025; that is, two trees for every Chinese citizen per year. Between 2013 and 2018, China planted 338,000 square kilometres of forests, at a cost of $ 82.88 billion. By 2018, 21.7% of China's territory was covered by forests, a figure the government wants to increase to 26% by 2035. The total area of China
1290-548: Is "conversion to forest of land that historically has not contained forests". In comparison, reforestation means the "conversion to forest of land that has previously contained forests but that has been converted to some other use". There are three types of afforestation: However, the term afforestation can also "imply the intentional conversion of native non-forest ecosystems to exotic tree cover and violate biodiversity safeguards". The process of afforestation begins with site selection. Several environmental factors of
1376-675: Is 9,596,961 square kilometres (see China ), so 412,669 square kilometres more needs to be planted. According to the government's plan, by 2050, 30% of China's territory should be covered by forests. In 2017, the Saihanba Afforestation Community won the UN Champions of the Earth Award in the Inspiration and Action category for their successful reforestation efforts, which began upon discovering
1462-465: Is about 20 years of current global carbon emissions. This level of sequestration would represent about 25% of the atmosphere's current carbon pool. However, there has been debate about whether afforestation is beneficial for the sustainable use of natural resources, with some researchers pointing out that tree planting is not the only way to enhance climate mitigation and CO 2 capture. Non-forest areas, such as grasslands and savannas , also benefit
1548-434: Is criticized for including 900 million hectares of grasslands. An assessment of the pledges of governments for reforestation found that the sum of global pledges translates to a required land area of 1.2bn hectares, until 2060, which is equal to a tenth of the global land area und thus deemed unrealistic without a significant encroachment on non-forest areas. Experts are calling for a better integration of social data, such as
1634-433: Is defined as the re-establishment of forest through planting and/or deliberate seeding on land classified as forest. Afforestation on the other hand means establishing new forest on lands that were not forest before (for example, abandoned agriculture). It is the process of restoring and recreating areas of woodlands or forests that may have existed long ago but were deforested or otherwise removed at some point in
1720-424: Is that forests can turn from sinks to carbon sources. In 2019 forests took up a third less carbon than they did in the 1990s, due to higher temperatures, droughts and deforestation . The typical tropical forest may become a carbon source by the 2060s. Researchers have found that, in terms of environmental services, it is better to avoid deforestation than to allow for deforestation to subsequently reforest, as
1806-424: Is that forests can turn from sinks to carbon sources. In 2019 forests took up a third less carbon than they did in the 1990s, due to higher temperatures, droughts and deforestation . The typical tropical forest may become a carbon source by the 2060s. Researchers have found that, in terms of environmental services, it is better to avoid deforestation than to allow for deforestation to subsequently reforest, as
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#17327915780091892-414: Is the practice of restoring previously existing forests and woodlands that have been destroyed or damaged. The prior forest destruction might have happened through deforestation , clearcutting or wildfires . Three important purposes of reforestation programs are for harvesting of wood , for climate change mitigation , and for ecosystem and habitat restoration purposes. One method of reforestation
1978-401: Is to establish tree plantations , also called plantation forests. They cover about 131 million ha worldwide, which is 3% of the global forest area and 45% of the total area of planted forests. Globally, planted forests increased from 4.1% to 7.0% of the total forest area between 1990 and 2015. Plantation forests made up 280 million ha ( hectare ) in 2015, an increase of about 40 million ha in
2064-431: Is trying to reduce 2% of them by forestry. Afforestation Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees in an area where there was no recent tree cover. There are three types of afforestation: natural regeneration , agroforestry and tree plantations . Afforestation has many benefits. In the context of climate change , afforestation can be helpful for climate change mitigation through
2150-822: Is used to refer to tree nurseries and Christmas tree farms . Plantation forestry can produce a high volume of wood in a short period of time. Plantations are grown by state forestry authorities (for example, the Forestry Commission in Britain) and/or the paper and wood industries and other private landowners (such as Weyerhaeuser , Rayonier and Sierra Pacific Industries in the United States or Asia Pulp & Paper in Indonesia). Christmas trees are often grown on plantations, and in southern and southeastern Asia, teak plantations have recently replaced
2236-601: The Green Wall of China project, which aims to halt the expansion of the Gobi desert through the planting of trees. There has been a 47-million-hectare increase in forest area in China since the 1970s. The total number of trees amounted to be about 35 billion and 4.55% of China's land mass increased in forest coverage. The forest coverage was 12% two decades ago and now is 16.55%. China announced two large reforestation programs,
2322-851: The biodiversity of plants and animals which allows the sustenance of ecosystems that provide clean air, soil fertilization, etc. Forests support biodiversity conservation, providing habitats for about 80% of the world's biodiversity and contributing to ecosystem restoration and resilience. Water management can be improved afforestation, as trees regulate hydrological cycles , reduce soil erosion , and prevent water runoff. Their capacity to capture and store water helps in mitigating floods and droughts. Forests act as natural air filters, absorbing pollutants and improving air quality. Urban forestation projects have been successful in reducing respiratory illnesses and enhancing overall air quality in cities. Trees provide shade and cooling effects. By shading and evaporation, forests can lower local temperatures, offering
2408-529: The carbon sequestration benefits of reforestation to become similar to those from mature trees in tropical forests . Therefore, reducing deforestation is usually more beneficial for climate change mitigation than is reforestation. Many countries carry out reforestation programs. For example, in China, the Three Northern Protected Forest Development Program – informally known as the " Great Green Wall " –
2494-684: The global carbon cycle because trees and plants absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis . Therefore, they play an important role in climate change mitigation . By removing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the air, forests function as terrestrial carbon sinks , meaning they store large amounts of carbon in the form of biomass, encompassing roots, stems, branches, and leaves. Throughout their lifespan, trees continue to sequester carbon, storing atmospheric CO 2 long-term. Sustainable forest management , afforestation, reforestation are therefore important contributions to climate change mitigation. An important consideration in such efforts
2580-498: The greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the air, forests function as terrestrial carbon sinks , meaning they store large amounts of carbon in the form of biomass, encompassing roots, stems, branches, and leaves. Throughout their lifespan, trees continue to sequester carbon, storing atmospheric CO 2 long-term. Sustainable forest management , afforestation , reforestation are therefore important contributions to climate change mitigation. An important consideration in such efforts
2666-488: The 2021 government work report, forest coverage will reach 24 percent based on the main targets and tasks for the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Tree-planting laws and school-children A law in China from 1981 requires that every school student over the age of 11 plants at least one tree per year. Other From 2011 to 2016, the city Dongying in Shandong province forested over 13,800 hectares of saline soil through
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2752-575: The Green Deal, the EU program "3 Billion Tree Planting Pledge by 2030" provides direction on afforestation of previous farmland in addition to reforestation. According to Food and Agriculture Organization statistics, Spain had the third fastest afforestation rate in Europe in the 1990-2005 period, after Iceland and Ireland. In those years, a total of 44,360 square kilometers were afforested, and
2838-607: The Million Tree Project in Kulun Qi, Inner Mongolia to plant one million trees. China used 24 million hectares of new forest to offset 21% of Chinese fossil fuel emissions in 2000. The Chinese government requires mining companies to restore the environment around exhausted mines by refilling excavated pits and planting crops or trees. Many mining companies use these recovered mines for ecotourism business. Launched in 1978 and scheduled to last until 2050,
2924-884: The Natural Forest Protection Program and the Returning Farmland to Forest program, in late 1998. The programs were piloted in Sichuan , Shaanxi , and Gansu in 1999. They became widely implemented in 2000. The Natural Forest Protection Program called for major reductions in timber harvest, forest conservation, and instituted logging bans in most of Sichuan, Yunnan , Guizhou , and Tibet . The program provided for alternative employment opportunities for former logging industry workers, including hiring them for reforestation work. The Returning Farmland to Forest program paid farmers to plant trees on less productive farmland and provided them with
3010-856: The Shandong Ecological Afforestation Project, which was launched with support from the World Bank . In 2017, the Saihanba Afforestation Community won the UN Champions of the Earth Award in the Inspiration and Action category for "transforming degraded land into a lush paradise". The successful afforestation of the Loess Plateau involved collaborative efforts by international and domestic professionals alongside villagers. Through this initiative, millions of villagers across four of China's poorest provinces were able to improve farming practices and increase incomes and employment, alleviating poverty. In addition,
3096-517: The Three Northern Protected Forest Development Program – informally known as the " Great Green Wall " – aims to eventually plant nearly 90 million acres of new forest in a 2,800-mile stretch of northern China. Over 69.3 million hectares of forest were planted across China from 1999 to 2013. This large-scale reforestation contributed to China’s forests sequestering 1.11 ± 0.38 Gt carbon per yr over
3182-506: The area. In February 2003, two avalanches struck the village, but did not cause significant damage. As of 2009, Stechelberg has 255 inhabitants. Stechelberg is accessed by Lauterbrunnen from the terminal train station, or by a small road that leads up the valley from Lauterbrunnen. The only other way to reach the village is by hiking over difficult terrain. 46°33′N 7°54′E / 46.550°N 7.900°E / 46.550; 7.900 Reforestation Reforestation
3268-467: The atmosphere's carbon pool in 2019. Life expectancy of forests varies throughout the world, influenced by tree species, site conditions, and natural disturbance patterns. In some forests, carbon may be stored for centuries, while in other forests, carbon is released with frequent stand replacing fires. Forests that are harvested prior to stand replacing events allow for the retention of carbon in manufactured forest products such as lumber . However, only
3354-571: The biosphere and humanity, and they need a different management strategy - they are not supposed to be forests. Afforestation critics argue that ecosystems without trees are not necessarily degraded, and many of them can store carbon as they are; for example, savannas and tundra store carbon underground. Carbon sequestration estimates in these areas often do not include the total amount of carbon reductions in soils and slowing tree growth over time. Afforestation can also negatively affect biodiversity by increasing fragmentation and edge effects on
3440-587: The boundaries between afforestation and reforestation projects can be blurred as it may not be so clear what was there before, at what point in time. An essential aspect of successful afforestation efforts lies in the careful selection of tree species that are well-suited to the local climate and soil conditions. By choosing appropriate species, afforested areas can better withstand the impacts of climate change. Earth offers enough room to plant an additional 0.9 billion ha of tree canopy cover. Planting and protecting them would sequester 205 billion tons of carbon which
3526-442: The carbon dioxide emissions that they avoided. To raise the payments, the host country would issue government bonds or negotiate some kind of loan with a financial institution that would want to take part in the compensation promised to the other country. The funds received by the country could be invested to help find alternatives to the extensive cutdown of forests. This whole process of cutting emissions would be voluntary, but once
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3612-482: The carbon must not return to the atmosphere from biomass burning or rotting when the trees die. To this end, land allotted to the trees must not be converted to other uses. Alternatively, the wood from them must itself be sequestered, e.g., via biochar , bioenergy with carbon capture and storage , landfill or stored by use in construction. Earth offers enough room to plant an additional 0.9 billion ha of tree canopy cover, although this estimate has been criticized, and
3698-709: The careful selection of trees ensured a healthy, self-sustainable ecosystem between tree and soil which facilitated a net carbon sink . The Loess Plateau, although successful, was costly, reaching almost US$ 500 million. This contrasts with more recent initiatives where the results have not been as favorable. In an attempt to make afforestation both low-cost and less time-consuming, China shifted towards monoculture of mostly red pine trees. However, this did not adequately take into consideration environmental structure and led to increased soil erosion, desertification , sand/dust storms and short-lived trees. This has reduced China's environmental sustainability index (ESI) to one of
3784-451: The case of timber species, volumic wood production and stem straightness. Forest genetic resources are the basis for genetic alteration. Selected individuals grown in seed orchards are a good source for seeds to develop adequate planting material. Planting new trees often leads to up to 90% of seedlings failing. However, even in deforested areas, existing root systems often exist. Growth can be accelerated by pruning and coppicing where
3870-454: The country has agreed to lower their emissions they would be obligated to reduce their emissions. However, if a country was not able to meet their obligation, their target would get added to their next commitment period. The authors of these proposals see this as a solely government-to-government agreement; private entities would not participate in the compensation trades. Another emerging revenue source to fund reforestation projects deals with
3956-550: The country working on reforestation. Lots of plantation are being carried out in the Indian continent but the survivability is very poor especially for massive plantations, with less than 20% survivability rate. To improve the forest cover and to achieve the national mission of forest cover of 33%, there is a need to improve the methods of plantation. Rather than mass planting, there is a need to work on performance measurement & tracking of trees growth. Taking this into consideration,
4042-480: The dependence of livelihoods on specific land uses, into restoration efforts. Possible solutions include the integration of other land uses into forests through agroforestry , such as growing coffee plants under trees, reducing the delineation between forests and other land uses. A study found that almost 300 million people live on tropical forest restoration opportunity land in the Global South , constituting
4128-413: The depletion of biodiversity which can hinder medicinal discoveries, and alter gene flow in organisms. A debated issue in managed reforestation is whether the succeeding forest will have the same biodiversity as the original forest. If the forest is replaced with only one species of tree and all other vegetation is prevented from growing back, a monoculture forest similar to agricultural crops would be
4214-412: The displaced construction material such as steel or concrete, which are carbon-intense to produce. A meta-analysis found that mixed species plantations would increase carbon storage alongside other benefits of diversifying planted forests. Although a bamboo forest stores less total carbon than a mature forest of trees, a bamboo plantation sequesters carbon at a much faster rate than a mature forest or
4300-517: The economic and investment attractiveness of afforestation. The results of the initiative showed that although there is not enough available land in Canada to completely offset the country's GHG emissions, afforestation can be useful mitigation technique for meeting GHG emission goals, especially until permanent, more advanced carbon storage technology becomes available. On 14 December 2020, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources Seamus O'Regan announced
4386-436: The environment around exhausted mines by refilling excavated pits and planting crops or trees . Many mining companies use these recovered mines for ecotourism business. Europe deforested more than half of its forested areas over the last 6000 years. The European Union (EU) has paid farmers for afforestation since 1990, offering grants to turn farmland into forest and payments for the management of forest. As part of
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#17327915780094472-426: The federal government's investment of $ 3.16 billion to plant two billion trees over the next 10 years. This plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 12 megatonnes by 2050. Doubling of forest coverage between 1980 and 2021 China had the highest afforestation rate of any country or region in the world, with 4.77 million hectares (47,000 square kilometers) of afforestation in 2008. According to
4558-944: The forest floor and sprout successfully. Sometimes special tools, such as a tree planting bar , are used to make planting of trees easier and faster. An essential aspect of successful afforestation efforts lies in the careful selection of tree species that are well-suited to the local climate and soil conditions. By choosing appropriate species, afforested areas can better withstand the impacts of climate change. There are several benefits from afforestation such as carbon sequestration , increasing rainfall, prevention of topsoil erosion (from water and wind), flood and landslide mitigation, barriers against high winds, shelter for wildlife, employment and alternative sources of wood products. Afforestation projects create employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas, thus promoting sustainable livelihoods. They can create many jobs in various forest-related activities. Forests are an important part of
4644-732: The forest is categorized as subtropical dry deciduous and 30% as tropical moist deciduous and other smaller groups. In 2016 the Indian government passed the CAMPA ( Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority ) law, allowing about 40 thousand crores rupees (almost $ 6 Billion) to go to Indian states for planting trees . The funds were to be used for treatment of catchment areas, assisted natural generation, forest management, wildlife protection and management, relocation of villages from protected areas, management of human-wildlife conflicts, training and awareness generation, supply of wood saving devices and allied activities. Increasing
4730-613: The forest to be replanted after felling . In such circumstances, the industry can cut the trees in a way to allow easier reforestation. Reforestation, if several indigenous species are used, can provide other benefits in addition to financial returns, including restoration of the soil , rejuvenation of local flora and fauna, and the capturing and sequestering of 38 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare per year. There are four primary ways in which reforestation and reducing deforestation can increase carbon sequestration and thus help with climate change mitigation. First, by increasing
4816-494: The former leads to irreversible effects in terms of biodiversity loss and soil degradation . The effects reforestation has on biodiversity is not limited to just other forms of vegetation, it can affect all forms of living organisms all contained in the present ecosystem. Due to the major role trees have on ecosystems it is important to better understand components like the ecosystem, waterways, and species present in areas that are being re-planted. Prior research helps limit
4902-831: The future than keeping existing forests intact. It takes much longer − several decades − for the benefits for global warming to manifest to the same carbon sequestration benefits from mature trees in tropical forests and hence from limiting deforestation. Therefore, scientists consider "the protection and recovery of carbon-rich and long-lived ecosystems, especially natural forests" to be "the major climate solution ". Plantation forests are intensively managed, composed of one or two species, even-aged, planted with regular spacing, and established mainly for productive purposes. Other planted forests, which comprise 55 percent of all planted forests, are not intensively managed, and they may resemble natural forests at stand maturity. The purposes of other planted forests may include ecosystem restoration and
4988-614: The future than keeping existing forests intact. It takes much longer − several decades − for the benefits for global warming to manifest to the same carbon sequestration benefits from mature trees in tropical forests and hence from limiting deforestation. Therefore, scientists consider "the protection and recovery of carbon-rich and long-lived ecosystems, especially natural forests" to be "the major climate solution ". The planting of trees on marginal crop and pasture lands helps to incorporate carbon from atmospheric CO 2 into biomass . For this carbon sequestration process to succeed
5074-484: The government has encouraged companies to promote reforestation tactics through the promises of a tax break. As many landholders seek to earn carbon credits through sequestration, their participation also encourages biodiversity and provides ecosystem services for crops and livestock. There is often insufficient integration between the different purposes of reforestation, namely economic utilization, enhancement of biodiversity and carbon sequestration. This can lead to
5160-417: The habitat outside the planted area. Australia, Canada, China, India, Israel, United States and Europe have afforestation programs to increase carbon dioxide removal in forests and in some cases to reduce desertification . The term afforestation means establishing new forest on lands that were not forest before (e.g. abandoned agriculture). The same definition in other words states that afforestation
5246-653: The habitat remaining outside the planted area. New forest plantations can introduce generalist predators that would otherwise not be found in open habitat into the covered area, which could detrimentally increase predation rates on the native species of the area. A study by scientists at the British Trust for Ornithology into the decline of British populations of Eurasian curlew found that afforestation had impacted curlew populations through fragmentation of their naturally open grassland habitats and increases in generalist predators. Questions have also been raised in
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#17327915780095332-425: The latter leads to irreversible effects in terms of biodiversity loss and soil degradation . Furthermore, the probability that legacy carbon will be released from soil is higher in younger boreal forest. Global greenhouse gas emissions caused by damage to tropical rainforests may have been substantially underestimated until around 2019. Additionally, the effects of afforestation and reforestation will be farther in
5418-425: The latter leads to irreversible effects in terms of biodiversity loss and soil degradation . Furthermore, the probability that legacy carbon will be released from soil is higher in younger boreal forest. Global greenhouse gas emissions caused by damage to tropical rainforests may have been substantially underestimated until around 2019. Additionally, the effects of afforestation and reforestation will be farther in
5504-600: The lowest in the world. Regarding the effects of afforestation on long-term carbon stocks and carbon sequestration these decrease when trees are less than 5 years old and increase quickly thereafter. This means trees from monoculture planting that do not survive never reach full potential for carbon sequestration to offset China's carbon output. Overall, there is a possibility for afforestation to balance carbon levels and aid carbon neutrality , but several challenges still remain which hinder an all encompassing effort. The Chinese government requires mining companies to restore
5590-432: The metro area. Thousands of Adelaide citizens participated in community planting days on sites including parks, reserves, transport corridors, schools, water courses and coastline. Only native trees were planted to ensure genetic integrity. Rann said the project aimed to beautify and cool the city and make it more livable, improve air and water quality, and reduce Adelaide's greenhouse gas emissions by 600,000 tonnes of CO 2
5676-473: The natural forest. Industrial plantations are actively managed for the commercial production of forest products. Industrial plantations are usually large-scale. Individual blocks are usually even-aged and often consist of just one or two species. These species can be exotic or indigenous. The plants used for the plantation are often genetically altered for desired traits such as growth and resistance to pests and diseases in general and specific traits, for example in
5762-412: The past or lacked it naturally (for example, natural grasslands ). Reforestation is not only used for recovery of accidentally destroyed forests. In some countries, such as Finland , many of the forests are managed by the wood products and pulp and paper industry . In such an arrangement, like other crops, trees are planted to replace those that have been cut. The Finnish Forest Act from 1996 obliges
5848-526: The peatlands in Central Africa, which house an abundance of carbon in the mud called peat. Much like the forest fire or insect outbreak which can harm tropical rainforests, money can also be seen an incentive to harm forests and be paid off to protect it. The global greenhouse gas emissions caused by damage to tropical rainforests may be underestimated by a factor of six. Also the possible harvesting and utilization of wood from reforested areas, limits
5934-771: The period 2010 to 2016. This amounted to about 45 percent of the yearly greenhouse gas emissions during that period in China. Jadav Payeng had received national awards for reforestation efforts, known as the " Molai forest ". He planted 1400 hectares of forest on the bank of river Brahmaputra alone. There are active reforestation efforts throughout the country. In 2016, India had more than 50 million trees planted in Uttar Pradesh and in 2017, more than 66 million trees planted in Madhya Pradesh . In addition to this and individual efforts, there are startup companies, such as Afforest, that are being created over
6020-506: The permanence of carbon sequestered through reforestation. For example, it was found that nearly half of the pledges under the Bonn Challenge were areas earmarked for commercial wood use. Additionally the effects of afforestation and reforestation will be farther in the future than those of proforestation (the conservation of intact forests). It takes much longer − several decades − for the benefits for global warming to manifest to
6106-468: The previous ten years. Of the planted forests worldwide, 18% of that area consists of exotic or introduced species while the rest consist of species native to the country where they are planted. There are limitations and challenges with reforestation projects, especially if they are in the form of tree plantations. Firstly, there can be competition with other land uses and displacement risk. Secondly, tree plantations are often monocultures which comes with
6192-441: The previous ten years. Of the planted forests worldwide, 18% of that planted area consists of exotic or introduced species while the rest consist of species native to the country where they are planted. A tree plantation, forest plantation , plantation forest, timber plantation or tree farm is a forest planted for high volume production of wood, usually by planting one type of tree as a monoculture forest. The term tree farm also
6278-529: The protection of soil and water values. Plantation forests cover about 131 million ha, which is 3 percent of the global forest area and 45 percent of the total area of planted forests. Over 90% of the world's forests regenerate organically, and more than half are covered by forest management plans or equivalents. Globally, planted forests increased from 4.1% to 7.0% of the total forest area between 1990 and 2015. Plantation forests made up 280 million ha ( hectare ) in 2015, an increase of about 40 million ha in
6364-463: The result. However, most reforestation involves the planting of different selections of seedlings taken from the area, often of multiple species. There is also the risk that, through a forest fire or insect outbreak , much of the stored carbon in a reforested area could make its way back to the atmosphere. Furthermore, the probability that legacy carbon will be released from soil is higher in younger boreal forests. An example of this can be seen in
6450-529: The route of carbon sequestration . Afforestation can also improve the local climate through increased rainfall and by being a barrier against high winds. The additional trees can also prevent or reduce topsoil erosion (from water and wind), floods and landslides. Finally, additional trees can be a habitat for wildlife, and provide employment and wood products. In comparison, reforestation means re-establishing forest that have either been cut down or lost due to natural causes, such as fire, storm, etc. Nowadays,
6536-432: The sale of carbon sequestration credits, which can be sold to companies and individuals looking to compensate their carbon footprint. This approach allows for private landowners and farmers to gain a revenue from the reforestation of their lands, while simultaneously benefiting from improved soil health and increased productivity. Alongside past financial incentive strategies, reforestation tax benefits have been another way
6622-418: The same carbon sequestration benefits from mature trees in tropical forests and hence from limiting deforestation. Some researchers note that instead of planting entirely new areas, reconnecting forested areas and restoring the edges of forest, to protect their mature core and make them more resilient and longer-lasting, should be prioritized. There are some implementation challenges China has introduced
6708-737: The scientific community regarding how global afforestation could affect the surface albedo of Earth. The canopy cover of mature trees could make the surface albedo darker, which causes more heat to be absorbed, potentially raising the temperature of the planet. This is particularly relevant in parts of the world with high levels of snow cover, due to the more significant difference in albedo between highly reflective white snow and more darker forest cover which absorbs more solar radiation. In Adelaide , South Australia (a city of 1.3 million as of June 2016), Premier Mike Rann (2002 to 2011) launched an urban forest initiative in 2003 to plant 3 million native trees and shrubs by 2014 on 300 project sites across
6794-435: The shadowed areas and generating soil conditions that hamper other types of vegetation. Trees used in some reforesting efforts (for example, Eucalyptus globulus ) tend to extract large amounts of moisture from the soil, preventing the growth of other plants. The European Commission found that, in terms of environmental services, it is better to avoid deforestation than to allow for deforestation to subsequently reforest, as
6880-440: The site is prepared, planting can take place. One method for planting is direct seeding, which involves sowing seeds directly into the forest floor . Another is seedling planting, which is similar to direct seeding except that seedlings already have an established root system. Afforestation by cutting is an option for tree species that can reproduce asexually, where a piece of a tree stem, branch, root, or leaves can be planted onto
6966-462: The site must be analyzed, including climate , soil , vegetation , and human activity. These factors will determine the quality of the site, what species of trees should be planted, and what planting method should be used. After the forest site has been assessed, the area must be prepared for planting. Preparation can involve a variety of mechanical or chemical methods, such as chopping, mounding, bedding, herbicides , and prescribed burning . Once
7052-602: The survival of a single tree. From 2016 to 2021, 3976 square kilometers of forests were planted in the Tibet Autonomous Region , with plans for 20 million trees to be planted before 2023. In the years 2012–2022 China restored more than 70 million hectares (700,000 km ) of forests. China committed to plant and conserve 70 billion trees by the year 2030 as part of the Trillion Tree Campaign . The Jane Goodall Institute launched
7138-581: The total forest cover rose from 13.5 to 17.9 million hectares. In 1990, forests covered 26.6% of the Spanish territory. As of 2007, that figure had risen to 36.6%. Spain today has the fifth largest forest area in the European Union. As of 2023 the total forest and tree cover in India was 22%. The forests of India are grouped into 5 major categories and 16 types based on biophysical criteria. 38% of
7224-442: The true area that has a net cooling effect on the climate when accounting for biophysical feedbacks like albedo is 20-80% lower. Planting and protecting these trees would sequester 205 billion tons of carbon if the trees survive future climate stress to reach maturity. To put this number into perspective, this is about 20 years of current global carbon emissions (as of 2019) . This level of sequestration would represent about 25% of
7310-535: The volume of existing forest. Second, by increasing the carbon density of existing forests at a stand and landscape scale. Third, by expanding the use of forest products that will sustainably replace fossil-fuel emissions. Fourth, by reducing carbon emissions that are caused from deforestation and degradation. Forests are an important part of the global carbon cycle because trees and plants absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis . Therefore, they play an important role in climate change mitigation . By removing
7396-610: Was launched in 1978 and scheduled to last until 2050. It aims to eventually plant nearly 90 million acres of new forest in a 2,800-mile stretch of northern China. Such programs often blur the boundaries between reforestation and afforestation (the latter being the establishment of a forest in an area where there was no forest before). Reforestation according to the IPCC means the "conversion to forest of land that has previously contained forests but that has been converted to some other use". According to FAO terminology, reforestation
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