The climate of Africa is changing and will continue to do so at a rapidly increasing rate and with much more unpredictability. In order to avoid future catastrophes, the continent must urgently reduce emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Arbour Day observed in September advocates an awareness of the crucial role played in the environment by trees, grass, algae, mangroves, coral and other ocean vegetation. The day is a call to protect the natural heritage of forests and marine plant-life throughout the year.
Humans cut down, process, and use timber for buildings and furniture and wildfires destroy thousands of acres of forest each year. Oceans are polluted and ocean floors stripped in search of food. Trees and marine plants can no longer be taken for granted, and it is important to recognise their contribution to sustaining life on Earth.
“This Arbour Day, we encourage people to plant trees. And more than that, let us conserve them as well,” says branch manager of the African Climate Reality Project based in Wendywood, Gill Hamilton.
What makes trees precious is their ability to store carbon. Carbon is generated and released during the burning of fossil fuels. Carbon compounds move through plants and animals, the air, the ocean, and the earth. Carbon present in the air as carbon dioxide contributes to global warming.
Tree biomass – roots, stumps and branches – capture and store carbon, a phenomenon known as carbon sinks. Planting trees is one of the oldest and most common types of carbon offsets.
“In order for these sinks to absorb the toxic greenhouse gas emissions, we need to protect and manage the existing carbon sinks. While deforestation has slowed down, it is not insignificant,” Hamilton explained.
As the primary source of oxygen, the world cannot survive without trees. About 30% of the Earth is covered by forests, but this is a small proportion compared to the seven-billion, and growing human population.
GALLERY: Celebrating Arbour Week!
Disrupted water cycles – which is happening all over Africa – are a direct result of deforestation and they will affect not only the surrounding ecosystem but ecosystems all over the continent, as well as the globe. When entire forests are levelled, the trees can no longer evaporate groundwater, which leads to a drier local climate – this, in turn, disrupts the entire evaporation and water cycle of an area.
Another huge problem with clearing forests is reduced biodiversity. When forest cover is removed, species lose their natural habitats and are more susceptible to being killed or hunted.
“Arbour Day is an occasion to focus on protecting and growing Africa’s carbon sinks and look for alternatives to carbon emitters,” concluded Hamilton.
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