221_Can We Save the Planet by Planting Trees?

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 221

Can We Save the Planet By Planting Trees?

More and more frequently these days we are reaching for ways to reduce and reverse the effects of climate change. Perhaps this is because talks of climate change are becoming increasingly serious. Although we have known about this for over 100 years, the inevitable is finally getting our attention.

As citizen action becomes more frequent, I start to question whether or not we are actually focusing on the right things. While recycling, reducing the use of plastic and planting trees all have their part in the big picture, are such activities just a distraction from what really needs to be done?

So join me for episode 221 Can We Save the Planet by Planting Trees?

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E221 Can We Save the Planet by Planting Trees?

Much of the time as individuals we look at the massive scale of our current global issues and we feel helpless to do anything about it. All too often we doubt the validity and effectiveness of our individual action so we languish in apathy, continue on our way and end up doing nothing.

But occasionally we hear about something that we can truly get behind, something we can believe in, perhaps something that will truly make a difference. And along comes the tree planting projects. What I want to do in this episode is to examine the validity of such projects, why we get behind them and whether or not this is truly going to make a difference when it comes to climate change

But before we get to that, let’s talk about the good news story of the week.

Good news story of the week. 

I thought this week’s good news story was fitting considering the subject of this podcast episode concerns environmental restoration.

This story is about bison.

It is estimated that at one point in time there were up to 60 million bison that roamed the Great Plains. But due to habitat destruction and over hunting those numbers declined dramatically. At present, between private ranches, nature reserves and wild herds there are only about 500,000 bison left.

Bison are considered to be a keystone species, meaning they have an extremely important role in maintaining the ecosystem of the Great Plains. The almost extinct black-footed ferret lived symbiotically with the bison. The long-billed curlew used bison as a disguise to hide nests from predators. Deer, pronghorn antelope, and elk all relied on bison to plow through deep snows and uncover grasses for foraging. When bison wallow and create depressions in the ground, rainwater pools and insects and amphibians are able to thrive. Certain plants evolved to grow in these wallows which Native Americans harvested for food and medicine. And the roaming bison also spread seeds. So it is quite amazing how one species can have such a significant positive environmental impact.

Now there is a tribal-led non-profit that is creating a network of native bison ranchers that are restoring ecosystems on the Great Plains. They coordinate donors and partners to help ranchers secure native grass land access. This helps the ranchers to increase their herd size. Funds also go toward installing and repairing fences as well as helping the native ranchers to gain additional access to bison meat markets across the country.

The return of the bison means the return of the prairies, of which only 1% remains intact since the discovery of the Americas and arrival of the first Europeans.

So, this weeks round of applause goes to the non-profit known as the Tanka Fund, which is helping to restore the bison, which is obviously an important keystone species.

Now, let’s move on to this weeks episode about planting trees.

Perhaps most people do not realize that the practice of cutting down trees dates back at least 12,000 years. Early humans used fire and stone tools to clear forests for hunting and early agriculture. Eventually the transition to farming societies led to massive deforestation as people cleared land for crops and livestock. A perfect example of this is early Mesopotamia, now known in modern days as Iraq. This country was once forested but early civilizations cleared it for farming which eventually resulted in the land turning to desert.

Deforestation practices continued with the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese all cutting timber for construction, ship building and farming. Additionally, the Romans deforested large parts of Europe and northern African to build cities, roads, and fleets.

In the Middles Ages it was European expansion that resulted in clearing of forests in England, France, and Germany. Then of course in the Age of Exploration and Colonization, there was deforestation in the Americas, Africa and Asia to make way for plantations, mining and additional settlements as well as for production of sugar, coffee, and tobacco.

Following that was the Industrial Revolution which hastened deforestation. Over 90% of the Eastern United States forests were cleared by the late 1800s. And in our modern era, which is 1900 to present, deforestation skyrocketed due to industrial farming, logging and urban expansion. Since the 1950s over half the world’s forests have been lost. Although fossil fuels have replaced wood for energy, deforestation remains high due to agriculture and development.

The bottom line is that approximately 46% of the world’s forests have been destroyed since the beginning of human civilization. Over 15 billion trees are cut down each year. Since 1990 the world has lost 1 billion acres of forest with 80% of this being driven by agriculture.

In summary, deforestation over time has occurred mostly due to agriculture. That remains to be the primary cause even today. But additional causes for deforestation have been for building materials, fuel, energy, paper products, and urban expansion.

Consequences of Deforestation

And of course all of this deforestation has added up to considerable consequences which we are paying for today. Obviously there is less carbon absorption and thus more CO2 in the atmosphere. Loss of crucial habitat threatens millions of species and thus massive loss of biodiversity. Soil erosion and depletion has increased conversion of land into deserts. And perhaps even more compelling is the disruption of the planetary water cycle, meaning less rainfall and more droughts.

Now it is worth looking at the big picture of what has happened over time. Early deforestation was truly about survival. Today it is about profit and over consumption. Obviously the first thing to do is stop the massive destruction of our global forests. We need to protect our rainforests, develop sustainable agricultural methods, as well as change our attitudes toward eco-friendly consumption meaning eating less meat, avoiding the use of palm oil, and use more recycled products. Otherwise we may very well face irreversible environmental collapse.

And this of course brings us to the subject of planting trees and why we are focusing on such efforts.

As we speak, there are massive reforestation projects going on all over the planet. For example, the Kwimba Reforestation Project in Tanzania which began in 1990, has involved planting almost 6.4 million trees as well as establishing community and school plant nurseries. The Appalachian Area Reforestation Initiative in the United States has overseen the planting of 60 million trees on approximately 87,000 acres of existing mining sites. Similar projects are taking place in the Amazon Basin, Kenya, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico as well as many other countries.

All of this of course is fantastic. It is exactly the kind of efforts we need to restore our global ecosystems. But, believe it or not, there is actually a downside to these massive planting projects and it has to do with why we tend to focus on such things.

First of all, planting trees is often seen as a simple, feel-good solution to climate change. But while is does help, and is much needed of course, the benefits of such projects are often overhyped and misused as a distraction from real climate action.

Planting trees is easy to understand compared to complex policies such as carbon pricing or the technical logistics to a complete transition to renewable energy. Planting trees gives immediate visual results. Think in terms of a green forest versus an empty field. It also makes people feel as if they are helping. But in many ways it is sort of a guilt free climate action because it is easier than cutting fossil fuels or changing consumption habits.

Planting trees is also used as a form of greenwashing. The big polluters, such as oil companies, airlines, and fast-food chains, promote tree planting to make themselves look eco friendly. For example, British Petroleum invented the term “carbon footprint” to shift climate blame to individuals while continuing fossil fuel production.

Governments often use it as a public relations move. Political leaders may promise to plant billions of trees while allowing massive logging projects to continue or addressing the real issues of emissions and pollution.

Additionally, not all tree planting is actually helpful. Planting a single species, referred to as monoculture, actually harms biodiversity and reduces the benefits of CO2 absorption. Furthermore, if climate change continues, the trees are not going to be able to survive in extreme heat and harsh weather.

And finally, tree planting is a distraction from larger and more important climate solutions.

Important Time Lines

Now, let’s take a look at two different times lines that I think are extremely important because it will help you to appreciate the issue at hand. 

Reforestation Time Line

The reforestation time line is essentially how long it would take to reforest the Earth back to it’s natural state, meaning the pre-human state. Now you also have to understand some of the factors that would effect this outcome: the current rate of forest loss, tree growth speed, the scale of human efforts such as reforestation projects, and climate and soil conditions.

Considering all of this, a potential timeline is as follows:

•  50 Years: Large-scale reforestation could restore significant forest cover, improving biodiversity and carbon absorption.
•  100-200 Years: Forests could start resembling their pre-human state, with mature ecosystems forming.
•  500+ Years: Full recovery of ancient forests, with restored biodiversity and climate regulation.

In other words, it will take centuries for all of this to happen and for the planet and humanity to reap the true benefits.

Projected Timelines for Climate Disaster

1. 2030-2040: Tipping Points Approaching

•  Global warming likely exceeds 1.5°C, triggering more extreme weather, droughts, and food crises.
•  Coral reefs (supporting 25% of marine life) face near-total extinction.
•  Arctic ice could disappear in summers, worsening global warming.

2. 2050: Major Climate & Social Disruptions

•  Global temperature could exceed 2-2.5°C, causing catastrophic hurricanes, wildfires, and heatwaves.
•  Food and water shortages intensify, sparking regional conflicts and economic collapses.
•  Rising sea levels could displace over 1 billion people, leading to unprecedented refugee crises.
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3. 2070: Large-Scale Collapse Begins

•  Much of the tropics may become uninhabitable due to extreme heat.
•  The Amazon Rainforest could collapse, releasing massive amounts of CO₂ and accelerating warming.
•  Economic and political systems could destabilize, leading to failed states and wars over resources.
•  Widespread biodiversity collapse may trigger ecosystem breakdown, including oceanic food chains.
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4. 2100: Civilization Breakdown Possible

•  Global temperatures could reach 3-4°C—making much of Earth’s surface unlivable.
•  Half of the world’s population could be displaced, leading to mass starvation and global conflicts.
•  Extreme weather, disease outbreaks, and collapsing agriculture could cause billions of deaths.
•  Some scientists warn of a "Hothouse Earth" scenario, where feedback loops push the climate beyond human control.

Now I am not much of a gloom and doom kind of guy but we have known about potential climate change for over 100 years and look where we are now. So we are facing a potential climate disaster within the next 75 years if we do not change what we are doing. But  it is going to take centuries to fully restore the Earth’s forests to the pre-human state. Trees take decades to grow and absorb carbon and we need to cut emissions immediately. While planting trees is important, what we truly need to do immediately is

For example:

-Reduce fossil fuel dependence

-Stop deforestation immediately and protect existing forests

-Invest in renewable energy projects

-Reduce industrial scale farming such as palm oil production, cattle ranching, and support regenerative farming and agroforestry instead.

-Hold the big polluters accountable carbon taxes, stronger climate laws and pushing for corporate responsibility.

While tree planting is truly important, in many respects it is another distraction that keeps us focused on the wrong things instead of doing what it’s going to take to save the planet. Despite the urgency of climate change, our society often misplaces our focus-either on small individual actions while ignoring systems changes, or on short term economic gains instead of long-term sustainability.

It truly does not help when we are misdirected by corporations and the government. It does not help when so much emphasis is placed on individual action instead of much needed systemic and policy changes. It does not help when we are given misinformation by the media and there is significant economic and political resistance to the real changes that need to happen.

What we need to do is target the root cause of how we got here in the first place. Real solutions require ending the use of fossil fuels, holding corporations accountable and making real systemic changes. Recycling, plant-based diets, giving up plastic straws, and planting trees all have their place in the big scheme of things. But that is not going to stop climate change.

At this point you may think I am against tree planting projects. But actually I am not. These projects help with carbon sequestration, trees have a cooling effect, and help to restore and maintain ecosystems. But, we have to be realistic. The beneficial affects of planting so many trees will take decades to centuries to mature and we do not have that much time.

After being on my homestead property for over 25 years, there is a reason I have left it completely intact. I have altered less than 5% of the property. Most of that has been to build the cabins, the barn and the greenhouse. But some of the changes I have made have been to improve the ecosystem. Since the forest is so dense I have done some thinning which has brought in enough sun light to allow a wide range of plants to grow. That has in turn attracted more hummingbirds, bees and provided forage for deer, elk and moose. But I also strategically transplant trees in order to make improvements.

So yes, I am all for tree planting projects and reforestation because it is desperately needed. Environmental restoration is key in saving our ecosystems. However, you have to think of things such as part of the long-term plan. Think in terms of benefiting the generations that come after us, similar to the Iroquois Confederacy’s Seventh Generation principle. This means that the actions and decision we make today should benefit the world seven generations into the future. Planting trees helps but it is not the main solution to the challenges we presently face.

In closing, let me just give you a couple of other thoughts. When is comes to renewable energy, the greenest energy is the energy you never use. Likewise, the best way to plant trees for the planet is to stop destroying the ones we already have. Unless we change the underlying behaviors that got us where we are today, nothing we do is going to make a difference.

This is your host Patrick signing off. Always remember to live sustainable because this is how we build a better future.