Proforestation

Proforestation is the practice of purposefully growing an existing forest intact toward its full ecological potential.[1] It is a nature-based solution whereby existing forests are protected as intact ecosystems to foster continuous growth for maximal carbon storage and ecological and structural complexity. In suitable forested regions it is a powerful and immediate forest-based strategy that can address the global crises in climate and biodiversity.

Recent science identifies forest restoration as the most powerful strategy available to reduce atmospheric carbon.[2] Proforestation complements forest-based solutions like afforestation, reforestation and improved forest management. Of these, proforestation is the most powerful and immediate. Unlike afforestation, full proforestation does not require dedicating new land to forests.

Proforestation was featured in July 2019 on NEXT[3] by the New England News Collaborative on New England Public Radio [4] and on the EnviroShow.[5]

Leveraging nature-based solutions (NBS) is consistent with the recommendations of the Paris Agreement and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the goals of the US Climate Alliance. Nature-based solutions can counteract the negative climate, environmental and ecological effects of deforestation and forest manipulation and extraction.[5][6]

In August 2019, an IPCC Special Report titled “Climate Change and Land” identified land use as a major driver of and a major solution to the climate crisis. A piece in The Conversation referred to the IPCC Special Report and highlighted the importance of natural forests and proforestation. Climate activist Bill McKibben came out against biomass and in favor of proforestation in an article titled "Don’t Burn Trees to Fight Climate Change—Let Them Grow" in the New Yorker. This policy position was echoed in a blog[7] piece co-released by the Nicholas School at Duke University Duke and the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies.

Proforestation was also prominently featured at the Climate Action Network International. Recent press releases on proforestation include Trinity College, Frontiers, and Symposium at Harvard Forest.

References
  1. Moomaw, William R.; Masino, Susan A.; Faison, Edward K. (2019). "Intact Forests in the United States: Proforestation Mitigates Climate Change and Serves the Greatest Good". Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. 2. doi:10.3389/ffgc.2019.00027.
  2. J. F. Bastin et al., The global tree restoration potential. Science 365, 76-79 (2019)
  3. NEXT
  4. Dankosky, John. "Episode 156: The Confusing Tangle of Immigration Law; Hunting for Old Growth Forests". New England News Collaborative.
  5. "Enviro Show Proforestation Interview With Susan Masino". The Enviro Show. June 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  6. Moomaw, William; Leverett, Bob; Jonas, Robert; Leverett, Monica (July 24, 2019). "How to fight climate change? Save existing forests". Daily Hampshire Gazette.
  7. Schlesinger, Bill. "Woody Biomass Fuels". Duke.edu.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.