You see, there is a succession process for forest recovery. We first have shrub grasses after some disturbance like fire, then it takes time for that to be replaced by trees. So if we are lucky our grand grandchildren will be walking in such forest, so this dimension should also be stressed. We are working for the future we are not just securing for ourselves some two dozens years of better comfort. Rather, we send a message through centuries such that people will remember us and walking into this forest along the brookes and rivers they will remember us with gratitude for our consciousness and dedication.
Anastassia Makarieva
Hello Ugo,
ReplyDeleteThe biotic pump effect has indeed generated some noise in a field that has been too cozy for a long time. I think it is clear that forests help the water cycle, but the main discussion is how important the effect is. It seems like all researchers agree that the last 1000 years of deforestation have had terrible consequences for the rain patterns on the planet.
I am all for protecting existing forest and planting new ones. It is often possible to plant multi-use trees like walnut trees that give beautiful wood, delicious and healthy food and soil stabilization and rainfall. The best places are where we today grow corn as feed for factory animals.
I stopped eating factory meat, instead I eat more nuts. I am healthier and happier.
Did you know that there are quite a few "vegetable trees" as well? Like the Chinese onion tree (Toona sinensis) and the lettuce tree (Tilia cordata). Can we introduce this into the common cuisine in more parts of the world?
When will the forests again cover Toscana?
In the small part of Holland where I live, we have a successful reforestation project that started around 1850, until 1950. Around 1800 forests were emptied, for fuel. Less than 1% of the area of the country was woodlands. The reforestation could start when the coal mines in Limburg started extracting fossil carbon for fuel. Today 12% is forested.
The pressure is building to burn the forests again, now that the price of fossil gas is going up. Let's see how long we can keep the woods.
Goran