It is a question I have been asking myself a lot recently, so I thought I would find out just how many trees it would take to sequester that much carbon.
Some Reforestation Calculations
My quick and dirty research reveals differing figures with respect to current deforestation rates. My calculations below rely on very shaky suppositions and, therefore, will need to be refined in future articles. However, the numbers are worth considering.
This gentleman has done the math for us and has determined that, if we were to reforest an area the size of Texas (about 50 million hectares) every year, we would sequester the amount of carbon emitted every year by human beings -- with caveats. The benefit would not be immediate, the scheme does not reverse but only stops the current trend, and this scheme is only good until we run out of room for forests.
According to this Deforestation Report, thanks to the University of Michigan, the amount of tropical deforestation that has occurred to date, due to human interference, is approximately 800 million hectares (one half of the total tropical forest that once existed). Therefore, if we were to replant all tropical forests at a rate that to equal our current carbon emission, we would do so in 16 years. After that, we would need to replant non-tropical forests and find another method of sequestering carbon. Of course, this assumes that the land is available, not being used for other purposes or owned by people who have an interest in seeing it remain cleared.
According to Wikipedia, the world continues to lose about 13.7 million hectares of forested land every year. In that case, we actually need to replace that forest, as well. So we would need to plant about 64 million hectares per year in total.
It All Comes Down To You
Replanting a hectare of forest requires about 2000 trees. That's about $200 per hectare if we use the low-cost model perfected by the Eden Projects. That's about $13 billion per year that needs to be spent, worldwide, on reforestation projects if we are to tackle this challenge. Sound like a lot of money? That's less than .09% of the US GDP. Not so much, really. That's about $41 for every US citizen.
For $41 apiece per year, less than $4 per month, we could start to stabilize back global warming without even replacing our light bulbs with compact fluorescents. And that's assuming that no other nation is willing to help foot the bill. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, since 2001, have cost more than 100 times that.
Imagine the impact if we every caring person contributed $10 per month for reforestation, then re-insulated our attics, changed our light bulbs and ate 50% less red meat!
Don't Give Up!
It is so easy for us to throw up our hands and say "it can't be done". Yes, it will be a challenge. And, yes, we need new technologies to help us reduce the amount of carbon we release into the atmosphere. But can we afford to dismiss reforestation? Even if we can only replant half of the forests that have been lost, think of how much better off we would be for the effort!
And consider the alternative. I mean really, consider it. Most of us understand that, by the time our great-grandchildren are born, the world will not be livable -- assuming the current trend continues. Yet we put the blinders on as if there is nothing to be done. We'll spend a trillion dollars to topple a third-rate dictator but continue to spend nothing on reforestation.
Finally, please consider the match I offered in my previous article and make a pledge to the Eden Projects. So far, I have no takers but I know you're out there! It's going to take a movement to make this happen so pass it along!
p.s. I suspect that my math is not perfect in the above. Please feel free to correct it where it has failed.
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