Where Have All The Forests Gone?
Look around the area that you live in and what do you see? If you are lucky enough to live in the mountains of Western North Carolina, you are blessed to be surrounded by various species of trees, free flowing rivers and streams, and many other varieties of flora and fauna that call these forests home. I have lived in many states and their individual ecosystems over the last 30 years. The one thing that has continually drawn me away from a town or city I was living in was its lack of green. I grew up in the suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri where I spent 90% of the daylight hours outside playing and climbing trees. As I grew up, spending time outdoors became less important as adult responsibilities and concerns took over. Life took me to many places like Mesa, Arizona where even the houses appear to all be painted either a tan or peach color, or the houses are so close together and the lots so small that there is no room for Mother Nature to show the residents her glory. Local flora is limited to drought hardy palm trees and cactus like bushes. Last week, temperatures reached well over 110 degrees Fahrenheit in communities that rarely saw temperatures that high. Cities in the US are warming up 1.5 times faster than their rural counterpart areas (Hobbie & Grimm, 2020). For individuals that fail to acknowledge the presence of climate change, these temperatures should make it much more obvious. Even the Pacific Northwest saw temperatures over 100 degrees for several days last week. This area is known for it’s old-growth trees. Unfortunately, there are considerably less trees than there were just 100 years ago. The practice of clear-cutting has left some areas sparse and those that remained have been subjected to several wildfires over the last few years.
We are taught in elementary science class that plants take the carbon dioxide we expel, absorb it, and turn it into the oxygen we inhale. When did we forget that we need the trees, healthy and free from chemical pollutants, in order for the human species to survive? There are things that we each can do if we want to slow down, stall, and potentially reverse climate change. We have to start by ending our practice of cutting down all the forests around the world. It can take a tree 20 years or more to grow big enough to be used for building materials. We can grow hemp and bamboo instead and focus on designs that include intentional plantings, natural elements, restoration of the pre-existing ecosystem, and neighborhood conservation efforts. Bamboo and hemp are extremely strong and grow very fast in comparison to hardwood trees. Both can be used for building, clothing, household resources, and many other products. Urban areas need to be greened up too. This can be done by creating rainwater gardens, stormwater ponds, green roofs, and more parks and open spaces designed into new communities (Hobbie & Grimm, 2020).
Did you know that if we were to plant one tree for every man, woman, and child – around the world – every year, we would be able to halt the forward progress of climate change within ten years. If we continued this practice, we could actually begin reversing the effects of climate change in less than twenty years (Ealy, 2019). This seems like a very simple practice that can literally change the future of our world. You can begin by joining an organization like the Arbor Day Foundation. As a member, you receive ten free trees to plant in your yard or in a forest in your honor (Arborday, 2022). Membership rates begin at $10 and go up to $500, with the most common being $50 for those choosing 10 free trees, with the best part being you get to select your own membership fee. With membership fees this low, what reason could you possibly have to avoid joining this organization? The best time is now. How will you answer your child or grandchild when they ask you, “Where have all the forests gone?”
References
Arbor Day Foundation (2022). Our Work. Retrieved from the Arbor Day Foundation website at https://www.arborday.org/programs/
Ealy, H. (2018). Fasting and Autophagy PowerPoint Presentation. Retrieved from the Energetic Health Institute website, Living In Holistic Balance, Lesson 4, at https://our.energetichealthinstitute.org/assignment/1722247602/info
Hobbie, S. E., & Grimm, N. B. (2020). Nature-based approaches to managing climate change impacts in cities. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 375(1794), 20190124.
