Help Kids Saving The Rainforest )KSTR) and do your part to save the planet!
Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica – Kids Saving the Rainforest (KSTR) planted 400 trees on their property. So that’s located in Las Mesas de Parrita. All where they are reforesting over 250 acres of an old teak plantation. This is part of its continued reforestation program.
As I’ve written before:
- The right trees planted in the right place could have a major impact on climate change.
The study identifies .09 billion hectares of available land. All for the necessary new forests.
The new forests would capture 205 gigatons of carbon dioxide.
In also exchanging all those trees for hamburgers and industrialization was one of our potentially fatal mistakes. A new study, however, looks at the idea of reforestation. All from an unusually strategic, data-driven point of view.
In the study — it was published on July 5 in Science. In it the researchers calculate that if we plant just the right trees in just the right places. Then new forests could take 205 gigatons of CO2 out of the atmosphere. That’s over the next 40–100 years.
This would, of course, require a massive planting campaign. I mean we are talking about growing trees in .09 billion hectares of land the researchers have identified as available for the purpose. (That’s roughly the size of the U.S.) While some wonder how realistic this plan is, it’s clearly worth considering, especially since, as the study points out, we’re currently on track to lose yet another 223 million hectares by 2050.
Figuring out what nature and reforestation can do for climate change!
Because KSTR has planted over 10,500 trees to date. They also have a goal to plant 10,000 trees this year. Moreover and most noteworthy, for the next 10 years. KSTR is also actively recruiting volunteers. All who would like to join them as they work hard to save the rainforest of Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.
Moreover, KSTR’s biologist has been involved in KSTR’s reforestation programs. He says that the idea of planting trees for many years was there. Yet KSTR provided the trees, cold water, and snacks (e.g. fruits, cookies, etc…). Then they asked volunteers to bring shovels, gloves, water bottles, sunscreen, bug spray, rain gear, and wear a pair of boots.
In addition, they also extended the invitation to businesses looking to get involved. And for those who cannot be present to help during the event. Because KSTR happily planted a tree on your behalf through a donation. All of which can be made via their website.
More Trees Save the Planet
Consequently, the trees consisted of 33 different native species. That’s including fruit-bearing trees and others. Some have large roots to stop landslides in the rain. The trees were donated by Empresa Propietaria de la Red. An electric and telecommunications company servicing Central America that is passionate about reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping the planet.
Fueled by the desire to save the Costa Rican rainforest and its inhabitants, KSTR has planted over 10,500 trees and built nearly 150 wildlife bridges over roads, which has prevented over 22 different wildlife species from getting hit by cars or getting electrocuted. Twenty years later, KSTR is successfully helping to educate people around the world about the ecological importance of the rainforest through their onsite education center, tours, camp programs, and school outreach programs. KSTR continues to reach out to businesses around the globe to help with their mission. “I have been with KSTR since its inception and the most rewarding part is releasing any animal that has come into our care back into their natural habitat,” said Rice.
A Following
This incredible organization has captured the hearts of wildlife and conservation lovers from all over the world as evidenced by their enormous social following (e.g. 8k+ followers on Instagram, 9k+ followers on Facebook, 100k+ views on Youtube) and 14.8k+ unique website visitors each month. Additionally, they’ve gained international attention from publications and organizations such as National Geographic, Teen People, and the HuffingtonPost, to name a few.
For more information and details on KSTR’s initiatives visit their website at www.kidssavingtherainforest.org and watch their newest video celebrating 20 years of this amazing organization!
UK
As the Guardian reports, Tree planting ‘has mind-blowing potential to tackle the climate crisis.” That’s how the Guardian reported findings from the Crowther Lab in Switzerland two months ago. As I’ve reported we need billions if not trillions of more trees. I mean scientists claimed it could remove two-thirds of all the carbon dioxide created by human activity. Forest restoration “isn’t just one of our climate change solutions, it is overwhelmingly the top one,” said the lead scientist, climate change ecologist Tom Crowther.
Some baby steps are already being taken, such as the Bonn Challenge, a global attempt to reforest 350m hectares by 2030. In the UK, tree-planting initiatives include the Northern Forest, which will be made up of 25m trees, spanning the north of England from Liverpool to Hull.
3 Trillion Trees Needed
But we need to do much, much more. Another study led by Crowther, published in Nature in 2015, estimated that while there are more than 3 trillion trees in the world, that number had fallen by 46% since the dawn of human civilization.
As Kids Saving the Rainforest explains, Brazil for example is the Amazon rainforest. It always continues to shrink. That’s by the equivalent of three football fields every minute.
Finally and all as land is turned over to cattle ranching, soya-bean production and mining. In August alone, an area the size of Hong Kong disappeared, not including losses from fires.
Philipines
As CNN reports, The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill requiring all graduating elementary, high school, and college students to plant at least 10 trees each before they can graduate.
So House Bill 8728 is the “Graduation Legacy for the Environment Act”. It is principally authored by MAGDALO Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano and Cavite 2nd District Representative Strike Revilla.
Alejandro explains that with over 12 million students graduating from elementary and nearly five million students graduating from high school. Then also almost 500,000 graduate from college each year. This initiative, if properly implemented, will ensure that at least 175 million new trees would be planted each year.
In the course of one generation, no less than 525 billion can be planted under this initiative.
It seems like even with a survival rate of only 10 percent, this would mean an additional 525 million trees would be available. All for the youth to enjoy. Especially when they assume the mantle of leadership in the future.
The trees shall be planted in forest lands, mangroves, and protected areas. As well as ancestral domains, civil and military reservations. In addition urban areas are under the greening plan of the local government units. Finally inactive and abandoned mine sites, and other suitable lands.
These planted trees must be appropriate to the location! So climate and topography of the area are essential. So there will be a preference for the planting of indigenous tree species.
Sources: KIDS SAVING THE RAINFOREST, The Guardian and CNN
