It is a common belief that humans are destroying the planet Earth. Much of the world’s tropical rainforests have either been cut down or are directly threatened with imminent deforestation.
One of the most prominent dangers of global deforestation is the accumulation of carbon-based greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, gases which have the potential to contribute to global climate change. Deforestation accounts for over 20 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions – more than the entire global transportation sector .Moreover, Deforestation and forest degradation have resulted in species loss and increase in global warming.
Nowadays, ‘Going Green’ is a common term that refers to a variety of projects intended to repair some of this damage. Reforestation and forest preservation carbon offset projects are part of the global warming solution. Trees thrive on carbon gases, using carbon molecules to produce everything from sugar during photosynthesis to cellulose and wood as they grow.
Thus, reforestation programs include strategically planting trees that offset the harmful gasses in the atmosphere with natural materials that have been removed either by logging, or other industries that are not environmentally friendly. Tree roots hold the soil in place and prevent too much erosion of the soil and nutrients. Trees also regulate local temperature by providing shade, cooling both the soil and the air below the branches thereby creating a natural habitat for other life forms, as a home and a food source. A forest may serve as a natural water purification system to provide a safe water source.
During the planting process, special care is taken to preserve the soil, and improve quality of life in the area. Many tree-planting organizations that are concerned with the forest situation also offer efficient appliances, rescuing endangered species, reducing greenhouse gases and moderating the climate. The hope is that their efforts will improve overall health and welfare of the human and forest population.
Additionally, forest preservation and reforestation initiatives create jobs, maintain and expand wildlife habitats, protect biodiversity and improve local environmental quality.
Reducing poverty is a step toward eliminating the world hunger situation all around the world. In India it is estimated that 40 million people depend upon the resources of forested areas for firewood, simple farming and cattle-grazing. In an effort to meet the costly goal of covering one third of the country with trees by 2012, country’s environment ministry is seeking to lease degraded forests to private firms, especially those from the pulp and paper industries, who will be allowed to farm the trees for paper pulp. The paper pulp in turn will be used to feed an increasing demand for paper products from India’s burgeoning middle class – from toilet paper to tea bags and cigarette filter papers.
Under a scheme named “Multi-Stakeholder Partnership for Forestation”, the ministry proposes to entertain private bids for areas with less than ten percent tree cover, in return for paper pulp production.The government believes that by contracting companies to grow and farm the trees for pulp, the plan will benefit the environment and the growing paper industries, while also providing low-income communities dependent on the forests with a more reliable source of employment.
Though not everybody is willing to buy the government's ideas, this is nevertheless an initiative which holds potential for creating the desired impact, if the proper checks and balances are in place. What could be other such measures ?
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