tagged w/ Tree Planting
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Planting trees that improve soil quality can help boost crop yields for African farmers.
Fertiliser tree systems (FTS) also help boost food security and play a role in "climate proofing" the region's arable land, the paper adds.
Researchers from the World Agroforestry Centre say poor soil fertility is one of the main obstacles to improving food production in Africa. As well as helping to boost yields, the use of trees in agriculture has other benefits - such as helping to "climate proof" agriculture land.
One example, Dr Place said, was the use of Faidherbia albida (common names include winter thorn and apple-ring acacia) in West African arable landscapes.
"It has a deep penetrating tap root, and it can secure a good water supply even in dry years," he explained."Generally speaking, tree roots do go much deeper than crop roots, so it is recycling nutrients and water from deeper reaches.
"There are also studies showing that these roots act as conduits and bring up water to surface root systems (such as those belonging to crops)."
"Trees and shrubs in agricultural systems seem to break some of the rules of agriculture - in this case, farmers are using shrubs to create a diverse rotation pattern rather than year-on-year maize," he told BBC News.
"The trees fix nitrogen and improve the soil; the leaves can be fed to livestock; the crops then benefit greatly in subsequent years."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15305271Planting trees that improve soil quality can help boost crop yields for African... more
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I've always felt that planting trees was simply too much of a non-violent affair. Digging holes, lowering in saplings, filling them with soil -- yawn. Where's the action, the excitement, the military-grade aircraft? It's also time consuming. Granted, I don't have nearly the skills this guy does, but the last time I went out planting trees, the best I could do was one every few minutes. Thankfully, somebody has figured know how to plant trees right: By enlisting a fleet of a retrofitted C-130 military transport planes to literally aerial bomb forests with new trees, we could plant 900,000 of them in a single day.
Planes once used to drop landmines retrofitted to drop tree-mines
See, it turns out that there are all these military planes just idling in hangars across the world -- they were designed to drop landmines en masse in enemy territory, but now they're just collecting rust. There are some 2,500 of these planes in 70 different countries, and it turns out they make for ideal tree-bombers.
The Guardian explains:
Equipment installed in the huge C-130 transport aircraft used by the military for laying carpets of landmines across combat zones has been adapted to deposit the trees in remote areas including parts of Scotland.
An idea, originally from a former RAF pilot, Jack Walters, of Bridgnorth, Shropshire, has been developed by the US manufacturer Lockheed Martin Aerospace so that 900,000 young trees can be planted in a day.
Walters' idea was published in a scientific paper nearly 25 years ago, but was deemed technologically infeasible at the time. Now, Lockheed seems to have determined the plan to be an ideal way to breathe new life into outmoded military machines. Peter Simmons, a company rep, is enthused about the idea.
"The possibilities are amazing," he gushes to the Guardian. "We can fly at 1,000ft at 130 knots planting more than 3,000 cones a minute in a pattern across the landscape - just as we did with landmines, but in this case each cone contains a sapling. That's 125,000 trees for each sortie and 900,000 trees in a day."
Lockheed claims that deployment of this technology will allow the planting of 1 billion trees a year, or enough to reforest -- or simply forest -- 3,000 square miles. They plan on marketing the plane to companies seeking to offset their carbon footprints.
How Tree-Bombing Works
First, you have to pick the proper environment: Typically, an area that has experienced deforestation, and was previously home to forests. With minor adjustments, however, Lockheed says that traditionally unforested areas can be successfully planted with shrub versions of the tree bombs. Shrub-bombs.
Second, you outfit a landmine carpet bomber to drop tree-bombs instead. Finally, you have the tree-bomb itself. Here's how they work:
The tree cones are pointed and designed to bury themselves in the ground at the same depth as if they had been planted by hand. They contain fertilizer and a material that soaks up surrounding moisture, watering the roots of the tree. The containers are metal but rot immediately so the tree can put its roots into the soil.
And thus you have a suitably testosterone-fueled, 21st century-appropriate method of planting trees.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/10/old-military-planes-drop-900000-tree-bombs-day.phpI've always felt that planting trees was simply too much of a non-violent affair.... more
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Marquette, Michigan – During the first two weeks of May 2009, over 12,000 trees have been planted the interfaith Upper Peninsula EarthKeeper Team across a 400 miles area of northern Michigan and in Minocqua, Wisconsin thanks to volunteers at over 100 churches and temples.
The trees were planted near homes, camps, churchyards, schools, parks and many other places by thousands of volunteers from ten faith traditions.
Children of all ages helped make the project a success and underscored why its important to protect the environment - it's their future at stake.
The EarthKeepers handed out over 12,000 red pine and white spruce seedlings at over 100 churches and temples across northern Michigan.
This video details some of the planting, distribution and preparation for the 209 EarthKeeper Tree Project that started on Earth Day 2009 with the planting of a three-foot white spruce at Presque Isle Park along Lake Superior in Marquette, Michigan. Bishops and other EarthKeeper faith leaders blessed the tree as it was planted on a wooded hillside one day after a snowstorm.
In previous projects, the EarthKeeper Initiative has removed nearly 400 tons of hazardous waste from the environment - most of which was recycled - and involves the congregations of over 150 churches/temples from ten faith traditions in 50 communities, American Indian tribes, college students and other youth.
The EarthKeepers were founded in 1994 by Rev. Jon Magnuson, executive director of the non-profit Cedar Tree Institute in Marquette and Carl Lindquist, executive director of the Superior Watershed Partnership.
In 2004, the bishops and other faith leaders signed the original EarthKeeper Covenant - pledging to actively protect the environment and reach out to Native Americans. The religious communities include Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Methodist Church, Unitarian Universalist, Baha'i, Jewish, Zen Buddhist and the Quakers.
The group teams with Native American tribes including the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC). Another major partner is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that sent representatives to the collections
From 2005-2007, the group of adults and youth held an annual EarthKeeper Clean Sweep each Earth Day during which over 20,000 northern Michigan residents turned in household hazardous waste at 20 free collections sites across a 400-mile area involving all corners of the pristine Upper Peninsula.
With a message of encouragement from their faith leaders, enthusiastic congregations turned out during three-hour collections:
In 2005, over 45 tons of pesticides, herbicides, lead-based paint, batteries and many other hazardous substances from northern Michigan homes was turned in by residents during the first clean sweep. Partners included landfills and local governments.
In 2006, over 320 tons of electronic waste was collected including computers, keyboards, hard drives, other computer related components, televisions and cell phones. Nine semi-trucks transported the vast majority of the electronics to a recycler in the Lower Peninsula.
In 2007, over one ton of pharmaceuticals was turned in including more than $500,000 in dangerous narcotics. Pharmacists and law enforcement agencies were among the clean sweep partners and staffed each of the collection sites as required by federal law. The drugs were properly disposed in high-tech EPA-approved incinerators.
In 2006, the faith leaders and the head of the KBIC tribe gathered for a news conference with college students to announce the creation of the Northern Michigan University EarthKeeper Student team. It was the first time these bishops and other faith leaders had been in the same room and many met for the first time.
http://www.upearthkeepers.org
http://www.superiorwatersheds.org
http://www.cedartreeinstitute.orgMarquette, Michigan – During the first two weeks of May 2009, over 12,000 trees... more
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The TREE Fund Tour des Trees has become known for its fun-loving, supportive group of men and women of all ages and professions who enjoy road biking, great scenery, and making a difference in the future health and beauty of community trees.
The Tour des Trees is the signature event of the Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund), a 501(c)3 organization. It is a 5 to 7 day cycling event that covers distances up to and over 500 miles.
Tour des Trees riders participate in public education programs and tree planting events to help raise community awareness of the importance of urban and community trees and forests. They also help the TREE Fund raise money for the research and education programs it supports.
This film covers the most recent Tour des Trees. I highly encourage you to join us on next year's ride.The TREE Fund Tour des Trees has become known for its fun-loving, supportive group of... more
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For 2008, Tree Nation had to plan how many trees will go into their nursery in Niger. So they took the bet that their community will reach 30.000 trees to plant in August. The ultimate goal of Tree Nation is to plant 8 million trees in the shape of a heart in the heart of Niger to mitigate deforestation and poverty. A most worthy goal.
Planting trees is a simple yet effective way to offset the burning of fossil fuels that causes global warming/ climate change. Especially in Niger, where extreme drought and poverty have left many in famine and disease.
So if you are interested in helping this organization reach its goal, you can visit their site and get information on how to help them plant trees in Niger. I have so far contributed about 15 trees through my climate messenger petititon and hope to do more this year. There are ways we here can influence events around the world positively. This is one great way. Planting trees saves lives.For 2008, Tree Nation had to plan how many trees will go into their nursery in Niger.... more
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A grass roots campaign to plant trees around the globe has announced that it is raising its target from 1 billion trees to 7 billion trees, the U.N. announced today.
The campaign, which is under the patronage of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Kenyan Green Belt Movement founder Professor Wangari Maathai and Prince Albert II of Monaco, also announced today that in 18 months it has seen two billion trees planted, double its original target.
The campaign was launched by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in 2006 as a response to the threat of global warming.
UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said today:
“Having exceeded every target that has been set for the campaign, we are now calling on individuals, communities, business and industry, civil society organizations and governments to evolve this initiative on to a new and even higher level by the crucial climate change conference in Copenhagen in late 2009.”
Tree planting remains one of the most cost-effective ways to address climate change, the agency says. Trees and forests play a vital role in regulating the climate since they absorb carbon dioxide.
Credit: Associated Press of PakistanA grass roots campaign to plant trees around the globe has announced that it is... more
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Amazing works of art made by growing and shaping trees. Found this on the blog from treeless-squirrel.com.Amazing works of art made by growing and shaping trees. Found this on the blog from... more
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The destruction of trees along the coastal plain of Louisiana during Hurricanes Rita and Katrina has recently been acknowledged as the worst ecological disaster in American history. Erosion is now an immediate threat to those determined to rebuild, as the Gulf of Mexico continues to eat away at the unsecured shoreline. Louisiana native and arborist Bob Thibodeaux recently began a five-year mission to plant 10,000 high-quality live oaks along the coast. Arborists and cyclists from across the U.S. and Canada participated in the main event of this year-round project - a 250 mile bike ride with plenty of stops to plant trees, meet locals, and eat some amazing gumbo.
This video follows the first year of the Acorns of Hope project. There are thousands of trees left to plant and four more scheduled rides.
Get involved @ www.bobstree.com
The destruction of trees along the coastal plain of Louisiana during Hurricanes Rita... more
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Living examples of what I like to call,
the spirit of LOVE and LIGHT.
Each glowing in their own beautiful way to help others find hope and a sustainable future.
A mother and daughter team with a vision and the desire to see it come true.
http://www.smallplanet.org
May all that they might wish to unfold, do so as quickly as possible.
Living examples of what I like to call,
the spirit of LOVE and LIGHT.
Each... more
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