All you need is love… of trees. Well, that’s not quite all, but according to some individuals and companies, the flora of the earth should be our main battle instrument in fighting global warming. While agreeing that the challenges of climate change are as complex as the root system of a mighty oak, many believe that planting indigenous trees is a solid way of restoring balance to our disproportioned carbon equation.
The Cause
Scientists agree that the main cause of climate change lies in the grim reality of manmade CO2 emissions. What’s natural, green-all-over, and eats CO2? Trees! As any primary school student can tell you, forests naturally take CO2 from the atmosphere and release refreshing oxygen.
However, only healthy, active ecosystems can perform as efficient ‘lungs’ for our planet. The problem is, more than half of earth’s ecosystems are degraded and damaged through unsustainable land-use practices, urban development, and attack from invasive species.
The Solution?
Meet ERA, Ecosystem Restoration Associates, an example of a company keen on forest offsets. Beginning their operation in 2004 in British Columbia, ERA works with governments, corporations, and landowners to provide carbon offset services and products funded by carbon finance. For example, by selling carbon credits to Air Canada customers through a Toronto company called Zerofootprint, they allow people to voluntarily offset their carbon footprint, in theory, by planting seedlings with that money. ERA has expanded their operations and has recently received consent from the Government of Burundi to proceed with a restoration project in that African country.
Not for Everyone
The company has met up with some stiff opposition, however. Last year, a B.C. Politian labeled it a ‘sham’, claiming that they cut down mature red alder trees to make space for new ones. ERA’s CEO Robert Falls countered that those red alders were just that – mature and near the end of their lifespan. By planting indigenous coniferous varieties known for having a very long lifespan and that will grow very large, he claims more good will be done in the long term. By taking out invasive species and planting what was historically present in a given area, Falls hopes to restore a healthy balance that allows for a maximum of carbon offsetting.
Another opponent of the scheme is none other than the David Suzuki Foundation, along with the Pembina Institute, who, this past July, released “The Guide to Carbon Offsets for Canadian Businesses and Consumers” in which they do not promote forestry based offsets. In part due to the possibility that the forest could be destroyed by insects, fire, or logging, thus releasing CO2 back into the air, and stating that forests are inherently impermanent, the guide ranks forestry projects as non-additional, meaning they do not provide any additional benefits above and beyond what would take place anyway without such programs. ERA, along with Zerofootprint and three other organizations, accused “the Guide” of being deficient and biased.
Carbon sequestration is touted by proponents as a truly green solution. But as with all offset programs, forestry based offsets cause some degree of doubt and concern. Perhaps the biggest question is: do we have time to wait for those seedlings to grow big enough to fight a battle that, at the moment, seems to have the upper hand? On the other hand, there’s no harm in having more carbon-eating, earth-friendly trees up and coming to make our planet’s future a little bit greener.
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Definitely no harm in having more trees in the ground and, as importantly, ensuring they are cared for and reach maturity. However we don’t want tree planting to become an excuse for continuing our carbon hungry lifestyles. There are many “carbon-neutral” programs out there that offer us a clear conscience for our carbon-emitting behaviors if we plant trees to make up for it. If we believe that this is the answer I think we’re fooling ourselves.
The biggest carbon sequestration benefit we can have is in protection and preservation. Large forests like the boreal and rainforests of the world must be protected. Planting trees is extremely important and will be crucial in dealing with the effects of climate change, especially in cities (reducing heat-island effect, etc). But we shouldn’t be letting ourselves, or our country, off the hook. We have to reduce our emissions, not rely on millions of seedlings to survive and do the work for us!