Guide to Afforestation: Restoring our Planet's Green Balance

As we confront unprecedented challenges caused by climate change, we must remind ourselves that even a problem of this scale has a solution. There are several that can mitigate the impact and even reverse it - afforestation is one such solution. 

 Afforestation is the act of planting trees and transforming barren land into a thriving forest, and it can do wonders to restore the earth’s green balance. From reducing greenhouse gas emissions to reversing biodiversity losses to boosting local economies, afforestation can play an invaluable role in the transition to a more sustainable world.

Click Here to Learn the Undesert Afforestation Solution

Understanding Afforestation and Reforestation 

A 2020 UN Food and Agricultural Organization report revealed that our planet has lost 420 million hectares of forest area since the 1990s. While the rate of deforestation has slowed down in the last decade, we cannot rely on less deforestation alone to counter the effects of global warming.

We do need to actively plant trees and expand forest cover through reforestation and afforestation. While often used interchangeably, the two terms are not exactly the same. Reforestation refers to rehabilitating forests that have fallen victim to deforestation. Its primary aim is to recover the damage to our ecosystem and reverse biodiversity decline.

Afforestation, on the other hand, involves planting trees in lands with no previous tree cover or areas that have suffered desertification—persistent degradation of once fertile lands. It converts barren lands, abandoned farmlands, and open grasslands into newly forested landscapes that can capture and sequester atmospheric CO2, improve soil fertility, conserve biodiversity, and stimulate the local economy.

Benefits of Afforestation

A 2022 IPCC report identified deforestation as one of the primary causes of rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide in recent decades. By creating new ecosystems in previously unforested lands, afforestation can help undo decades of damage done by reckless felling of trees. According to another report, a 25% growth in forest cover can remove 25% of carbon from the atmosphere and significantly slow the impact of climate change.

Combating desertification is another reason why we’re witnessing an increased interest in afforestation. Foresting barren lands can prevent soil erosion and protect nearby areas from flash floods and strong winds by stabilizing the soil.

Moreover, afforested lands become new habitats for flora and fauna, creating farming opportunities and income from the sale of timber and forest products.

Forging Ahead with Afforestation: Factors to Keep in Mind

There are several factors that must be planned for and considered to carry out a successful afforestation project. Here’s a quick summary of the most important aspects to keep in mind: 

Different Techniques & Methods

There are different ways of pursuing afforestation, such as Assisted Natural Regeneration, Agroforestry, and Commercial Plantations. 

• Assisted Natural Regeneration involves planting native species to establish a new ecosystem. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways for carbon sequestration, as natural forests are better at storing CO2 than plantations. 
• Agroforestry also involves planting native species but with the intent of crop production, creating ecological as well as economic benefits for the local community.
• Commercial plantations involve growing and harvesting trees for timber and other products. Here, the goal is more commercial than conservational.

Selecting the Right Site and Tree Species

A study found that afforested eucalyptus plantations in Argentina attract much fewer birds than the Espinal savanna. Why? Because eucalyptus trees weren’t native to the region. It is imperative to select native, preferably diverse species that flourish in the local climate and soil conditions. Additionally, planting non-native or monoculture species can do more damage than good. 

It’s equally important to choose the right site for an afforestation project. Low-quality degraded, or barren lands make good candidates instead of grasslands with high biodiversity or productive farmlands.

Maintenance and Care of Afforestation Projects

Another factor to keep in mind while taking on an afforestation project is a well-thought-out maintenance plan. It is essential that planted saplings get the care they need to transform into thriving, forested landscapes. Initiatives like soil condition, water management, vegetation management, weed control, and pest management can keep the loss of saplings in check. 

Afforestation: The Water Question

As promising afforestation is to improve the well-being of the local community and combat climate change, it can be challenging to grow new forests from scratch. Some of the most promising candidates for afforestation projects are degraded lands prone to desertification, like the drylands of Northwest China, which have been the focal point of large-scale afforestation since 1978. 

However, most drylands have a major water problem due to low precipitation and frequent droughts. This, in turn, affects the early survival of afforested plant saplings. What’s required is a well-planned irrigation regime that can sustainably water the plants instead of relying solely on rainfall.

Undesert: Our Solution to Afforestation’s Water Challenge

For afforestation to make a sizeable impact on climate change requires an all-hands-on-deck effort with an out-of-box strategy. At Undesert, we are doing our bit by developing SWAP (Salty WAstewater Purification) – a multi-patented and scalable technology that can purify highly saline, contaminated industrial wastewater into pristine water and dry salt.

Our purified wastewater can be channeled towards greening desertified lands and sustainable agricultural farms. SWAP makes it possible to transform wastewater otherwise destined to pollute waterways into ultra-pure water for irrigating desertified lands, opening up millions of acres for well-planned afforestation drives.

We’re looking for afforestation partners starting in 2024! 

If you have a project (or know someone who does) that could use fresh water, reach out to us at info@undesert.com

Citations & Resources:

• Deforestation and Forest Loss - Our World in Data
• The global tree restoration potential | Science
• Bird community responses to afforested eucalyptus plantations in the Argentine pampas | SpringerLink
• Optimal Irrigation Regime for Woody Species Potentially Suitable for Effective and Sustainable Afforestation in the Desert Region of Mongolia
• Mapped: Where ‘afforestation’ is taking place around the world - Carbon Brief