Why It Is Not Enough to Simply Plant Millions of Trees I Earth Explained!

Reforestation is a hot topic at the moment. But while we know that trees help store the carbon damaging our planet, is planting millions of new ones really the answer?

We explore how monoculture plantations can harm the environment, and introduce an innovative project in Kenya that safeguards local forests and benefits the population.

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#terramatters #reforestation

Script: Eleanor Updegraff
Editor: Mathias Muckenhuber
Producer: Eva Schmidt
Motion Graphics: Mathias Muckenhuber
Voice-Over: Julian Nightingall
Audiomix: Hubert Weninger

Footage:
ClimatePartner GmbH
Pond5
Reuters
Suvendu Raturi and Filip Agoo/Everland Marketing
Terra Mater factual Studios

💡 Scientific sources:

TC 00:38-01:17
Trees help tackle climate change
by European Environment Agency

Forests Absorb Twice As Much Carbon As They Emit Each Year
by World Resources Institute

Young Forests Capture Carbon Quicker than Previously Thought
by World Resources Institute

Trees cool the land surface temperature of cities by up to 12°C
by NewScientist

TC 02:07-02:17
What is the Relationship Between Deforestation And Climate Change? by Rainforest Alliance

Measuring Carbon Emissions from Tropical Deforestation
by EDF

TC 02:42-02:57
Poorly designed tree-planting campaigns could do more harm than good, according to Stanford researcher and others
by Stanford News

TC 03:07-03:11
Forests Absorb Twice as Much Carbon as They Emit Each Year
by Global Forest Watch, Quantifying Carbon Fluxes in Forests | Global Forest Watch Blog

🌳 Video Sources Kasigau Wildlife Corridor Project

When A Tree Stands
by ClimatePartner GmbH

Wildlife Works and Everland reducing emissions from deforestation | Kasigau, Kenya
by Everland Marketing/Suvendu Raturi and Filip Agoo

🔗 further Video sources:

TC 00:09-00:10, 00:15-00:17, 01:33-01:43, 04:24-04:30, 00:07:-07:41
Planting 20,000,000 Trees, My Biggest Project Ever!
by Mr. Beast

TC 01:26-01:33
IUCN Bonn Challenge 2020 Milestone Event: promo video
by IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature

TC 01:21-01:26
Trillion Trees Vision
by Trillion Trees

TC 01:50-02:05
Our Forests | Timelapse in Google Earth
by Google Earth

TC 00:03-00:05
Killing the Amazon: How the rainforest is faring under deforestation
by ABC News

TC 00:06-00:07
How Is Climate Change Related to the Amazon Forest Fires? | CNN Interview with Tom Crowther
by Crowther Lab

TC 00:13-00:14
BBC World News | Combating Deforestation - Interview with Dr. Fitch
by Eden Reforestation Projects

TC 00:14-00:15
EURACTIV and Life Terra Foundation – Planting trees in Brussels forest with RFSB
by EURACTIV

TC 00:20-00:23
Press statement by President Ursula von der Leyen on the European Green Deal
by European Commission

TC 00:02-00:03
The European Green Deal: Visionary policy or empty promises? | DW News
by DW News

TC 00:12-00:13
Europe's plan to become the first carbon-neutral continent | Ursula von der Leyen
by TED

Support the Kasigau Wildlife Corridor Project:

[efrainoctavio]

On my balcony I grew several species of native plants, they are not very big or many but they still attract a lot of insects and hummingbirds. I can't imagine the kind of impact that planting an entire forest of native species has.

[SysterYster]

Don't forget that trees also slow down winds, cools down daytime temperatures and keep nighttime temperatures higher, making forested areas have a more level/consistent temperature. They also keep the soil from running away in heavy rains with their roots. Just consuming carbon dioxide isn't the only thing they do. :)

[MossyEarth]

We've released a podcast on this topic a few months ago and have been working on this topic again this week for a video to be released on Monday - so good timing! As a rewilding organisation focused on bringing back true wilderness, this is an issue we face frequently. Often it is hard for businesses and individuals to properly distinguish a good project from a bad one and this can lead to some pretty misleading green washing. Tree planting is a tool, reserved for specific uses and not a general solution to everything.

[stevebennett]

Another great video, I think deforestation needs more attention, forests in general need more attention than we r giving them. We've done enough damage to them over the past few centuries, we need to help them more.

[isaT]

I love this type of video, not just talking about desasters but showing ways to help and succesful projects 👍👍🙂
That's much more encouraging to do something too!

[crouching_tiger]

As someone who's worked on both REDD+ and Bonn Challenge projects, can confirm that governments tend to focus too much on the economic aspects and ignore non-tree biodiversity. The Kenyan initiative is good though, there's increasing awareness in India as well that a more holistic approach is necessary, but sadly no one wants to use the word "political economy" just yet :p

BTW, regarding the thumbnail; maybe it's a bit too extreme/clickbait? "Don't just plant trees" would be better, I think.

[jaridkeen]

We call can do our part to plant trees. I have planted 60 trees all up and down the East Coast. I made it a Tradition to plant a Chestnut Tree on I-95 when i travel North and South. It can be a fun family tradition, when traveling plant a tree 🌳

[terramater]

Hi friends, ​
​
👉🏽 Are there any reforestation projects nearby your home? Let us know!

[HybridPrime_Creative]

Incredible video, thank you for providing me with this awareness

[simonac.]

I planted 5 trees on my balcony this year and im proud 🌲🌳🌲

[janu]

Yes! Finally a good video about this subject that I can share with people, this is such an difficult subject to talk about and it’s such an complex issue that’s not just solved by planting random trees. In here one of our current problems is that people mostly plant pine trees, because non native deers that have exploded in population destroy broadleaf and mixed sapling forests. They also spread diseases (Lyme mostly) and chronic wasting disease cases have gone up. This in turn affects the native biodiversity, so also an population control of certain species is needed to be able to maintain diverse forests (both encouraging native predators and hunting deer). Thank you for also showing some successful projects, great to see so much thought put into projects that maintain and help healthy forests and communities!
Ive seen some conflicting things about the new team seas campaign and especially the big nets etc techniques they use to clean ocean, any chance to get an video on that subject?

[MegaSnail]

So accurate and inspiring. I am going to share this with our local indigenous tribe as a vision for long-term sustainability in far northern California. Thank you and be well.

[Chichi-slmq]

Loved this video.
I would love to try native tree planting in Zimbabwe

[pushingthrottles]

There is more to it with reforestation. Done correctly with biodiversity and native species in mind it is a habitat for hundreds of thousands of species. It must be done and must be done correctly. It's not the solution to climate change but it's a chain in the link. Concrete... now let's solve that problem and we'll really make some headway on climate change.

[qarljohnson]

As a former tree planter in British Columbia, I know that I was only planting monocultural plantations, and NOT actually restoring the former forests that had been clearcut.
I now beleive that there is little reason to ever clearcut forests, but rather we should selectively log what fiber we need, leaving the forests ecosystems to keep working.

[unvergebeneid]

Good points but what surprised me was when I learned that managed forests remove even more CO2 than unmanaged ones. At least as long as the wood that's removed isn't burned of course.

[filmboyultimate]

Yeah whenever a reforestation project is in the works, the native species of that area are required. Also those that deforest for profit need to be held responsible and face the consequences.

[anask]

Sometimes it all feels like hopeless, sad and depressing tbh

[rhonir]

Very nice, thanks for this valuable and critically underrepresented informations.

[MuantanamoMobile]

I am speechless. Thank you Terra Mater for shading light on this issue.