Reforestation - Science topic

Dear Researchers, Scientists, Friends,

In recent years, the need to accelerate and increase the efficiency of the green transformation of the economy has been growing in importance. This is due to the need to increase the scale of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as generated by energy, industry, transportation, livestock farms, etc. continue to generate high greenhouse gas emissions and the global warming process is accelerating as a result. If the processes of green transformation of the economy are not significantly accelerated then the exceeding of 1.5 degrees C of the average temperature of the planet's atmosphere (counting from the beginning of the first industrial revolution) will happen even before the end of the current decade and the occurrence of a global climate catastrophe in the second half of this 21st century will become inevitable. One of the key elements of the green transformation of the economy is the cessation of deforestation processes and the development of reforestation programs for civilizationally degraded areas, post-industrial areas, post-mining heaps, urban areas as part of the reduction of concretions, and post-agricultural areas where the soil has been depleted due to the intensification of agriculture in the industrial model. By 2023, the deforestation rate in the rainforests of the Amazon natural rainforest has been almost halved in Brazil. This is a very good trend, in which perhaps finally the scale of protection of these natural highly biodiverse forests is beginning to improve significantly. This is especially important because the highly biodiverse rainforest ecosystems of the tropical natural forests of the Amazon contain more than 300 million unique species of flora and fauna and the Amazon forest is still the largest natural area of forest ecosystem that plays a key role in the natural process of absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere and emitting oxygen. The ongoing logging of trees in the Amazon forest, and the logging of trees in other areas of natural forest ecosystems as well, which is being carried out in a formula of predatory pseudo-management, should be recognized as a crime of destroying the planet's strategic natural resources generating an increase in the threat to human existence on planet Earth. Perhaps in this way, through appropriate changes in legal regulations, the large-scale deforestation of forest areas still taking place in many parts of the world and/or the predatory pseudo-management of forests that is being carried out would finally be ended.

I presented the issue of human security in connection with the green transformation of the economy, pro-environmental policies and the implementation of sustainable development goals in the article:

In view of the above, I address the following question to the esteemed community of scientists and researchers:

What do you think about this topic?

What is your opinion on this issue?

Please answer,

I invite everyone to join the discussion,

Thank you very much,

Best regards,

Dariusz Prokopowicz

In order to save the climate, biosphere and biodiversity of natural ecosystems for future generations of people, it is necessary to significantly accelerate and increase the scale of implementation of the green economy transformation process. Given the large scale of degradation of the biosphere, loss of biodiversity and climate change that has occurred so far, so one of the most important challenges for humanity in the 21st century is to protect the earth's biosphere and natural biodiversity. One of the natural ecosystems characterized by high biodiversity is the tropical rainforests of the subtropical zone. The area of these forests is decreasing year by year. Thus, planet Earth is becoming poorer in terms of biodiversity, including the many unique species of flora and fauna that live in these forest formations. Besides, other climate zones also have significant forest resources that absorb CO2, i.e. one of the main greenhouse gases. Unfortunately, the importance of forests, including natural biodiverse forest ecosystems for maintaining natural and climatic balance, in terms of absorbing cCO2 from the atmosphere, etc. is still underestimated in many countries. Still many countries' policies are primarily influenced by business, which counts on quick profit and does not care about the state of the environment, the state of the biosphere, biodiversity and the planet's climate. As a result, still in many countries, instead of developing programs for reforestation of post-industrial, civilization-degraded areas, instead of restoration of damaged natural environments, instead of restoration of green areas on areas of soil exhausted by the use of intensive agriculture carried out in the model of industrial production of agricultural crops, etc., it is cutting down more areas of forest. The ongoing deforestation on planet Earth is one of the most serious problems of environmental policy. Thus, the magnitude of negative climate change is increasing and the planet's natural biodiversity is rapidly decreasing, as well as nature's ability to absorb CO2, the production of oxygen to the atmosphere is decreasing. In view of the above, in order to counteract the adverse effects of climate change, including the increasingly rapid process of global warming, it is necessary to increase investment and development of afforestation programs, increase areas of green space and expand the protection of natural forest ecosystems. The impact of forest trees is particularly important as one of the important factors in counteracting adverse climate change and counteracting the increasingly rapid process of global warming. It is therefore necessary to increase forest areas. The most naturally and ecologically effective forest ecosystems are restored according to the formula of restoring these ecosystems in such a way that they are as close as possible in species composition of flora and fauna to their natural counterparts, i.e. natural forest ecosystems that in a given area and/or climate zone occur in their original state or that in a given area in the past occurred before they were cut down during the development of civilization.

In this connection, it is necessary to develop afforestation programs for civilization-degraded areas and green areas also in areas of urban agglomerations. In this connection, it is also necessary to increase investment and development of afforestation programs within the framework of national environmental policies. Within the framework of these programs, it is also necessary to increase the scope of protection of natural forest ecosystems.

On the importance of the above issues, including the importance of afforestation as an essential element in carrying out a green transformation of the economy and saving the planet's biosphere and climate, I have included the following article and several others of my articles available on my Research Gate portal profile:

I invite you to discuss this important topic for the future of the biosphere and climate of the planet.

In view of the above, I address the following question to the esteemed community of scientists and researchers:

And what is your opinion about it?

What is your opinion on this issue?

Please answer,

I invite everyone to join the discussion,

Thank you very much,

Best regards,

Dariusz Prokopowicz

Reducing carbon emissions in sustainable tourism requires the implementation of various strategies. Here are some effective measures:

By implementing these strategies, destinations and tourism stakeholders can significantly reduce carbon emissions. It requires a collective effort, strong partnerships, and the commitment to adopting sustainable practices throughout the tourism industry.

Dear colleagues,

I am very interested in how some forest terms concerning forest restoration are interpreted in the official sources of your country.

Please, can I ask you to take a little time and fill out a small Excel spreadsheet (attached)?

Best regards,

Arthur.

'Reforestation is a 'soft-engineering' technique for flood defence - more sustainable than 'hard-engineered' defences such as flood walls and embankments.'

Future Forest Engineering

In recent years, large-scale green investment projects have been launched in some countries, which are being carried out as part of the green transformation of the economy to build a sustainable, green, zero-carbon zero-growth and closed-loop economy. The essence of the ongoing large-scale implementation of the aforementioned processes in some regions of the world is to carry out a pro-environmental and pro-climate transformation of the classic growth, brown, linear economy of excess into a sustainable, green, zero-carbon zero-growth and closed-loop economy. One of the economic regions of the world where these issues have been prioritized, ambitious plans have been set out to smoothly carry out the green transformation of the economy is the European Union. One of the many components of the green transformation of the economy is the large-scale creation and implementation of new green technologies and eco-innovations. Well, in recent years, many new green technologies and eco-innovations are being created in the framework of clean emission-free energy, biodegradable materials, electromobility, cleaning up the polluted environment, increasing the scale of recycling, economical use of natural resources, conservation of clean water resources, restoration of green areas in cities, reforestation of wasteland and civilization-degraded areas, and so on. If such processes of efficiently carried out green transformation of the economy are carried out on a large scale in all countries of the world, there is still a chance to significantly slow down the progressive process of global warming and save the net from the projected global climate catastrophe. Therefore, the chance to save at least in part the remaining biosphere of the planet, to save the biodiversity of the natural ecosystems of the planet, i.e. the greatest value of the planet Earth that has been created by the many millions of years of evolution of life on the planet, increases. The issue of conservation, protecting the planet's biosphere and saving the remaining biodiversity and its restoration through the use of new green technologies and eco-innovations man can at least partially repair what he destroyed in the past. Man should protect the biosphere and climate, should restore the biodiversity of natural ecosystems with a view to the future of future generations of people, the future of the planet, the achievements of the evolution of life on planet Earth, and so on. If man in his nature is friendly towards the biosphere and not selfish towards the planet, the only planet he has, then he probably wants to save the climate, biosphere and biodiversity from total degradation. Accordingly, in recent years there has been a growing demand for the creation and implementation of new green technologies and eco-innovations. New research and implementation centers and new research projects are being established to develop new technological solutions so that the process of green transformation can be carried out more efficiently and quickly. And time is of the essence, as the process of global warming continues to accelerate and there is little time left to reach a critically high state of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Besides, thanks to the developing cooperation between scientists and researchers studying this issue, working in different parts of the world, the chances of realizing the plan to save the climate, biosphere and biodiversity from total degradation are becoming greater.

In view of the above, I address the following question to the esteemed community of scientists and researchers:

And what is your opinion on this topic?

What is your opinion on this issue?

Please answer,

I invite everyone to join the discussion,

Thank you very much,

Warm regards,

Dariusz Prokopowicz

The above text is entirely my own work written by me based on my research.

Copyright by Dariusz Prokopowicz

The above of our two research articles are two of our important efforts on how to conserve the soil and use it for the enhancement of reforestation to mitigate climate change impacts such as Urban Heat Island, loss of endemic species, scarcity of water and greenhouse gas emissions which are the leading concerns in urban built environment. Our articles have addressed a way to achieve the sustainable development goals such as SDG6, SDG12 and SDG 13.

Soil resources are most critical prerequisites those need to be conserved, utilized and given back to the earth to enhance the sustainable existence of living organisms. Current technological trends are mostly focusing on mining the soil resources and fulfilling the human needs using anthropogenic activities. This trend needs to revisit, addressed the research gaps and more interests need to be shown by researchers and stakeholders to enhance the optimum usage of soil resources with minimal harmful effects to nature.

How serious is this? I attach an article showing how increasing CO2 naturally increases plant growth and reforestation reduces runoff! So.. planting forests and living among greenery is not saving the environment, it is drying up rivers.

Bring back the beavers.

New tiaga, renewed Eastern American Forest mighty cause Global dessication by decreasing runoff untill late in growing season. I attach an article attempting to calculate the global warming cost due to CO2. There is nothing about the downside to "greening" of the world and the possibility of drying up rivers as a result.

Like "ice stupa". See "icestupa.org". delay of runoff reduces floods but what else?

General perception is that a fast growing species are better carbon sequester if it holds than all CDM projects will have these species. What will be role of old species and other slow or moderate growth species vis a vis role of site quality with respect to fast growing species. How to determine carbon sequestration potential of and species mean ideal parameters for consideration eg.  age of tree, site factor / surrounds, tree associates/ allelopathy nature, nutrient cycle / physiology/ silvics of the species etc.

What is the purpose, usefulness and outcome of climatic simulations, particularly those of ecological LUC measures such as the Sahel afforestation ("Great Green Wall")?

How reliable are they and how can they have an impact on decision making? There are many simulations of the intended afforestation or restoration of the Sahel region, raising warning flags of heat waves and flooding since many years. However, we find that they are based on somewhat unrealistic, hydro-ecologically not feasible vegetational assumptions.

Now, after many years of simulations the most recent study (Camara et al, Atmosphere 2022, 13, 421) at least finds that reforestation should help to improve the climate over the reforested area. - Could scientific results have caused delays in starting badly needed restoration measures? Maybe even worse, as an indirect consequence have an affect on drought events?

Dear RG Colleagues,

We have started a reforestation project in an arid region and we want to know the answer to 'is this project successful ?'.

Quite simply, what are the parameters that will judge this success within 2 years?

Best regards Abdenour

📷

Carbon offsetting and reforestation projects depend on high quality seeds, yet we lack valuable information about storage and germination rates of many tropical tree species.

At what temperature can I safely dry orthodox tree species seeds, so I can store them for months or years? Afzelia quanzensis, Erythrophleum suaevolens and Albizia gummifera are some of the species I am working on.

Working in a rainforest environment and with very little infrastructures means that a sealed dry-room with a dehumidifier is not an option, and I can dry seeds only using a drying hot-air (that can be set between 30 and 90°C) cabinet and silica gel. I will try to stay as low as possible.

Thanks for any input or first hand experience!

The rising sea levels and mangroves are salt-tolerant trees that line tropical and subtropical coastlines. How does the reforestation of mangroves contribute to regulating the global climate through carbon sequestration and storage? Coastal protection from storms? Reduced flood risk? Habitat for distinct species?

Legumes and Ficus tree is strong candidate as reforestation starter and able to grow in harsh condition. Both are important agent for fixing soil quality.

But in term restore forest birds habitat, which one is can profide more ecological service? Which on is needed first? Ficus to support frugivores species or Legume as insect refugia to attract insectivores?

Reforestation does not necessarily lead to a climate change solution. Without native species and Indigenous land rights, reforestation can lead to colonization, displacement, and genocide on native species and Indigenous people. Climate change solution is deeply interconnected with traditional practice, Indigenous land rights, and native species.

I read an interesting paper (as below) and learnt that grassland habitat is continually declining in South China, largely due to reforestation schemes and vegetation succession (better hillfire control measures). Historically, grassland habitat shouldn't be that extensive in this region which likely supported fewer grassland specialists. However, the very long history of human settlement (more than 100,000 ya if we take Homo erectus into account) has favored the colonization of this group of species, including this rare Chinese Grassbird. In terms of habitat management, how should we address this apparent dilemma - to recover the ancient, original habitat of an area; OR, to actively maintain certain habitats to protect rare species, even such habitat is somewhat anthropogenically-created?

)

Ich beschäftige mich derzeit mit dem Thema Technologie und Nachhaltigkeit für den Umweltschutz. Kurz zusammengefasst: wie kann die Technologie die Umweltschutz unterstützen um damit die Simbiose zwischen Technik und Menschlichkeit zu ermöglichen? Ich suche mehr Infos, Autoren, die sich damit beschäftigen. Danke im Voraus.

In connection with the reform of agriculture in Ukraine, the problem of using postagrogenic soils (fallows) arose. As a rule, spontaneous vegetation growth (reforestation) or artificial planting of forests occurs on these soils.

Habitat suitability is the initial step during plantation and reforestation drives throughout the globe. In certain developing countries this is not a common practice. Government organizations as well as NGOs must consult expert ecologist of their respective region to get succssful and sustainable results as they conduct a lot of such studies. As an example I would like to mention here that we are doing such studies over the last decade in our regions and these can be found in our research articles. e.g.!

Hi,

I am currently working for a watershed conservation project. My project leader wanted to know the change of groundwater recharge before and after the conservation activity (for example, the current landcover are open land and shrubs, then this area will be reforested). What methods can be used for answer that?

Thank You

I Appreciate your help?

Seeking methods for restoration of tropical dry forest in the Lesser Antilles, including site preparation, species composition, plant spacing, and watering requirements. Thank you.

Today, there are several ways to prevent flooding. In this regard, two methods of dam construction and reforestation (or afforestation) are in competition. But which one is scientifically more effective? Which one is used in your country? Is there any more successful way to prevent flooding?

Im working in a restoration plan in a mountain range in de north Madrid (Spain).

We have planned to reforest a specific area, but we think that the wild boar can destroy the plantation. How can we avoid it?

Thanks

UNFCC has developed many protocols for CDM projects as well as carbon credits but most them fall in the energy sectors. Very few are given in Reforestation and afforestation projects. Why this parity ? Either there is less research on tree based interventions or these projects are more concentrated in developing countries. Similar done validation of carbon credits through plantation based projects in CDM. While in INDC every county commit the reduction of GHGs by plantation activities on hecatres of land but not given effective representation in UNFCC protocol.

My student is exploring this question, and they have found no research, not even modeling, on this question. It's a tricky one, I know!

The pace at which the private sector is engaging in climate change related activities as well as carbon trade is yet to be convincing? Most forest concessionaires still find it profitable to engage in logging their forests for timber rather than protecting the same forest for carbon. This renders the 'logged to protected forest' concept still unrealistic. New pathways are seemingly needed......

Now a days people claim that many problems can be solved using remote sensing technique. Some of the information claimed to be possible are below 10 to 100 metres below ground level. For example; depth to water table; water quality; bore well locations; etc. Some of these claims are so expressive that it makes one to believe that remote sensing is a replacement to field investigations, but it is a supplement or compliment to field investigations, in my opinion. Though we understand that remote sensing is based on reflectance of radiation from the earth surface, through which technique or images these depth related information can be obtained ? Also what is the maximum depth to which remote sensing technique can be applied AND what are the type of depth related information can be gathered?

Biomass is considered as a renewable energy source because its inherent energy comes from the sun with the possibiliy to  regrow in a relatively short time. Leaf Trees take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into biomass and when they die, it is released back into the atmosphere. Whether trees are burned or whether they decompose naturally, they release the same amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The idea is that if trees harvested as biomass are replanted as fast as the wood is burned, new trees take up the carbon produced by the combustion, the carbon cycle theoretically remains in balance, and no extra carbon is added to the atmospheric balance sheet—so biomass is arguably considered “carbon neutral.” Since nothing offsets the CO2 that fossil fuel burning produces, replacing fossil fuels with biomass theoretically results in reduced carbon emissions.

In fact, the reality is a lot more complicated. In 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that “carbon neutrality cannot be assumed for all biomass energy a priori.” Whether or not biomass is truly carbon neutral depends on the time frame being studied, what type of biomass is used, the combustion technology, which fossil fuel is being replaced (since the combustion of both fossil fuels and biomass produces carbon dioxide), and what forest management techniques are employed in the areas where the biomass is harvested.

In 2010, a group of prominent scientists wrote to US Congress explaining that the notion that all biomass results in a 100 percent reduction of carbon emissions is wrong.Biomass can reduce carbon dioxide if fast growing crops are grown on otherwise unproductive land; in this case, the regrowth of the plants offsets the carbon produced by the combustion of the crops. But cutting or clearing forests for energy, either to burn trees or to plant energy crops, releases carbon into the atmosphere that would have been sequestered had the trees remained untouched, and the regrowing and thus recapture of carbon can take decades or even a century. Moreover, carbon is emitted in the combustion process, resulting in a net increase of CO2.

Extreme climate events are increasing in Bangladesh and thus destroying agriculture sectore severely. For example, a recent flash flood, not found in the record for more than 50 years, has damaged Boro rice in haor areas (low lying single cropped area).

Recently I was assigned on a project to restore back the limestone to its original state. The site was an ex-mining area to be exact. The problem here is, is it possible for the plants to survive on the limestone surface without any soil available on it? Indeed there is some species may survive but the mortality rate would be high, i guess. Any papers and suggestion will be appreciated! 

I strikes me as rather bizarre that despite all the hype around the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil, there do not seem to be studies that actually show what the environmental benefits of certification are. Or am I missing something?

aside from being important to promote healthy root for the tree, what are the important of pitting? what is the recommended size of pitting and tools used for pitting?

For example, would the distance of a reforested tree community from a river (i.e. near or far from the bank) or distance from the source of a river (i.e. nearer the source, nearer the mouth or in between) matter when it comes to its effect on how fast the body of water will overflow in a hypothetically intense rainfall event?

Would there be other factors that have to be considered in making decisions such as to where reforestation efforts must be concentrated on first (especially in an extensively denuded watershed)?

I'm looking at the forest in terms of its hydrological importance and effect on the water dynamics of a watershed. Forests can intercept rainfall and help to slow down the flow of water to a receiving body of water such as a river or lake. 

I strongly think and hope very large scale desalination of sea water to irrigate arid zone is the second way to fight against global warming and its consequences as rise in sea level and accelerated desertification of arid.

Of course, the first is the sustainable behavior; desalination might be performed and funded by ecological means.

In a previous discussion :

Pr K. M.Towe said :"There is no way for "photosynthesis" to "pay" for it's subsequent LONG TERM microorganisms aerobic recycling". I must specify : recycling humans, animals and plants carbon. I wonder how is it possible reforestation would not have any significant effect on carbon footprint and over what time period photosynthesis is much greater than the aerobic respiration of microorganisms.

If respiration of microorganisms always prevailed over that of plants, a long time ago we would have no more oxygen. Do the rainforests have a negative balance sheet of oxygen/carbon?

At a rate of two dollars per cubic meter of desalinated water, what would be carbon foot print over several years of a cubic meters of desalted water in arid and sunny area? That is the question?

 Has anyone had some  experiences related to this topic?

This is the article where I read about climate-smart reforestation, examples are still vague for me to understand. I am looking for a more concrete example of climate-smart reforestation activity.

Euclyptus lenceolatus is seen to form thick patches on previously disturbed forests. How the mono-cultures will affect the overall biota in an ecosystem?

Does anyone know of studies that evaluate the diversity of macrofungi years after having reforested a landscape?

When a destruced forest site is remained for more than 10 years without restoration plan, the soil condition of the site is bad, which prevent the restoration of original forest. In this case, pioneer tree species is useful for amelioration of soil condition. So I want to know what N-fixing pioneer tree species can be grown in temperate zone. The tree species have to be grown under -10~-15°C in winter and have fast growth. I hope getting species name and literature related to the tree species, if possible.

Brazil has visionary (if yet to be implemented) legislation requiring landowners to preserve at least 20% of woodland on their properties. The benefits, especially if reforestation is required, will be considerable in terms of climate change mitigation.

The benefits in terms of biodiversity conservation, however, would be far less with a rigid 20% law than with one countenancing smaller but priority areas. Such flexibility characterises the trading schemes used in carbon markets in which not all polluters are held to the same standard. So some companies can buy the rights to pollute more than their quota from firms that have accumulated 'credits' by investment in cleaner or more efficient technology, for example.

Thus a properly managed forest conservation market which identifies and applies preferential benefits to priority areas - wetlands, Red Listed spp habitat, corridors, etc., could generate far greater ecosystem dividends. Similarly, Lovejoy's bigger-is-better conclusion would reap greater conservation gains by promoting consolidation of little reserves which incur huge edge effect losses into larger ones that suffer less. This concept is presumably being applied in some countries. Can anyone tell me where? Related ideas and comments will also be most welcome.

We have substantial information that low quality planting materials is one major cause of failure of reforestation in the tropics but less information from temperate countries. We would like to get this information from scientists working on this aspect. Thank you. 

In a first approach, I think that the solution consists in a way or a manner (with preferably a living tool) to convert the gaseous CO2 in a deposit or a residue (preferably solid also) which will be “climate-neutral” if I can say so. The best solution, in my point of view, relies in the reforestation since a tree is the best way to stock carbon, or another plant and to avoid it burning anyway.

We currently monitor 2 year-old reforested Rhizopora. Among them, there are few larger trees of the same species, originating from natural autosuccession. They can potentially be included into the monitoring, but for this it is necessary to determine their age. Is there a method that calculates back ages of (young) mangroves by using diameter-at-breast-height-measures and species-specific growth rates?

I plan to try them in the next planting season because they are cheap to produce and suitable for rural and underdeveloped areas. Any previous experience will be helpful.