Tree-planting campaigns in Rwanda are gaining momentum, the danger Climate change and changing weather in patterns pose to Biodiversity raises questions of how the world should protect them. reforestation needs to be part of the solution. Forest have been likened to the planet's lungs, because similar to how vital organs absorb Oxygen from atmosphere and exhale out carbon dioxide as well as other harmful greenhouse gas.
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| Rwandan Farmers lead tree-planting effort to meet rising wood demand |
Environmental pollution refers to the contamination of ecosystem and the surrounding atmosphere while climate change refers to the variation in normal weather. There are some natural phenomena that can cause Environmental Change and Air Pollution, these include: Erupting Volcanoes and meteorites that kicked up so much dust storms that reducing photosynthesis and preventing growth of the plant as well as wildfires. However we cannot forget about Anthropogenic sources like: Deforestation, combustion of fossil fuels, Emissions from Industries and factories releasing carbon monoxide, or use of pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers that emit harmful chemicals and waste products. Adding to these potential threats, we are producing and consuming more of these and generating more greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Climate change and air pollution are closely linked, so by tree-planting we reducing air pollution we also protect the climate. However, it is not easy to evaluate the impact of Climate change and Environmental pollution.
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| Planting trees will help add nutrients to soil while controlling run-off and erosion (photo by Igihe) |
Rwandan Authorities are partnering with communities to halt the decline of forest cover and produce wood, charcoal and fruit in a sustainable way. In fact many projects are being run to teach local community on specific tree species needed and why as were afraid to lose their farms due to reforestation process. The target in Rwanda's national climate plan is to cover 30 percent of the country with forest by 2030. A national forest inventory recorded high rates of degradation in natural forest, as trees are cut faster than they regrow as it was revealed by Rwanda water and Forest Authority in 2016.
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| Tree nursery being prepared before trees are planted on bare lands |
Currently Rwanda has a positive rate of forestation, more trees are planted and protected than cut down, this will ensure different stakeholders economically benefit from the forest resources while helping the government achieve its forest cover goals. A first ever study to determine how many trees the Earth could support suggested that an area the size of the United States could be restored as forests with the potential of erasing nearly 100 years of Carbon emissions. Rwanda water and Forest Authority is advising the local community on how to introduce species that can be used to improve the soil, feed livestock and grow fruit.
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| The Government of Rwanda support forest restoration by providing different management activities in Government and Private forest while helping the government achieve its 30 % forest cover goals |
The global tree restoration potential report found that there is enough suitable land to increase the world's forest cover by one-third without affecting existing cities or agriculture. However, the amount of suitable land area diminishes as global temperatures rise. Therefore Forest restoration is the best climate change solution today.
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