Global Reforestation

[Fresh Christmas Tree]

Deforestation can cause large changes in carbon stocks over a short period of time. Deforestation causes an immediate reduction in aboveground biomass carbon stocks, followed by several years of decreases in other carbon stocks. The differing pace of response among different activities since 1990 creates outcomes that are not intuitively obvious.

 

An afforestation and reforestation program with a fixed amount of land afforested or reforested each year will yield large positive stock changes after an initial period of slow carbon accumulation. In the first few years, afforestation and reforestation tree growth is slow, and not all land in the program will have been afforested or reforested. Over time, more and more land will become part of the program, and benefits will continue to increase for decades (Nilsson and Schopfhauser, 1995). Because the carbon gain is low at the beginning of afforestation and reforestation programs, in most parts of the world such programs will yield only small carbon gains during the first commitment period.

 

Converting non-forest land to forests will typically increase the diversity of flora and fauna, except in situations where biologically diverse non-forest ecosystems are replaced by forests that consist of single or a few species (e.g., plantations of monocultures and especially exotic species).

 

What an urban Christmas Tree program can do for your town.

 

Urban forestry is the cultivation and management of trees in and around the places we live -- cities, suburbs, and rural communities -- for their contribution to the environment, the community, and the economic well-being of our society.