The World’s Largest Tree Planting Schemes
With the world being deforested at such an alarming rate over the last 50 years, planting trees has become a matter of urgency. As the state of the environment has worsened, people all over the world have begun to act, organising massive tree planting efforts in all parts of the world. It remains to be seen if the efforts are too little too late, but for now, the more trees we can plant, the better. The following are some of the world’s largest tree planting schemes.
Plant A Billion Trees Project
The Nature Conservancy and American Forests organisations joined forces in 2008 and launched their ‘Plant A Billion Trees’ project. Aimed at planting trees in 21 countries in an attempt to help reduce climate change, this is one project big enough to have a major impact on the environment, with millions of tree planted so far.
Heavy Rainfall In North Carolina Damages Tree Health
North Carolina residents are carefully examining their surroundings after heavy rains caused large numbers of trees to become unhealthy. According to professional arborists, heavy rainfall can encourage root rot, which poses significant health and safety risks. Trees afflicted with root rot can tip over in high winds, often causing damage to people and property.
Trees already infected with root rot weaken and worsen during heavy rainfall. Because high winds often accompany rainfall, the situation becomes even more dangerous. The town of Carowinds lost its power supply after a tree fell on power lines earlier this month. Fortunately for residents, falling tree fatalities have not occurred in Mecklenburg County since 2008.
Minnesota Resident Killed By Falling Tree
A falling tree killed a Minnesota resident from Eden Prairie earlier this month. The resident, 56 year old Nina MacKay, was out walking her two dogs when a falling basswood tree with a trunk diameter of 70 cm toppled and struck her.
According to Fox 9 News, basswood trees are highly prone to falls. As the trees aggressively expand, the wood remains soft and weak.
Adventure Ropes Course Proposed For West Penant Hills
A development tender for an extensive tree ropes recreation course compiled by the Forestry Corporation is going before The Hills Council. The Forestry Corporation hopes to build the ropes course in the Cumberland State Forest near West Penant Hills.
One feature of “The Tarzan Trail”, as it will be known, incorporates swinging from a tree on a rope and landing in a net.
Bathurst Resident Seeks Council Reimbursement For Arborist Fees
Barthurst resident Terry Jones has lodged an official request for council reimbursements totalling more than $3,000. Jones is seeking the payment for expenses paid to approve the removal of several dangerous trees from his property on Braham Street. According to Mr Jones, ten of the trees on his property were old and in danger of coming down in a storm.
Initially, the council indicated that it was likely to approve Jone’s application to remove the trees. But a formal report on the matter forced him to seek an independent inspection by professional arborists. Bathurst council withheld approval until Jones submitted the arborist’s report.
Fig Tree Topples In Hyde Park
City of Sydney officials are investigating the health of several towering fig trees in Sydney’s Hyde Park after one nearly fell on a mother and child earlier this month.
The woman, a local resident, was nearly struck when an 80 year old Hills fig tree fell over near the corner of Elizabeth and Park Street. The tree had been scheduled to be cut down after it was noticed to be in poor health, but it gave way before the planned removal could take place.
New Planning Rules Affect Farming Practices in Colac Otway Shire
Under new planning rules in Colac Otway Shire, farmers will not be able to remove fallen trees and perhaps even rocks.
The shire council will implement the rules as biodiversity and native vegetation maps are updated by the Department of Environment and Primary Industries across Victoria.
‘War on Weeds’ Declared on Sunshine Coast
Throughout May, the ‘War on Weeds’ took place on the Sunshine Coast and involved locals replacing their garden weeds with free native trees.
Jenny McKay, Community Programs Portfolio Councillor, explained that weed swaps occurred over a period of a few weeks at 37 different locations. McKay said the project will help restore various parts of the local habitat with native trees.
60,000 New Trees for Bundanon’s Erie Park
Plans are in place for a new project to plant 60,000 trees on farms at Bundanon’s Erie Park.
The riparian zone of the Shoalhaven River will be reconnected with surrounding bush across approximately 23 hectares. The revegetation project will come at a cost of almost one million dollars.
Land Clearing for Farms Target
According to the environment group World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia, Queensland can reach its agricultural production targets without clearing new farm areas of trees and other native plants. The state’s target is to double production by the year 2040.
As part of the plan, the Queensland Government has recently proposed changes within its laws regulating vegetation management. Most significantly, the changes proposed allowing the development of new purposes for land clearing.
