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We make it simple for anyone to plant trees, and together we can make an incredible impact. Learn more
Stay up to date on major announcements, exciting collaborations, and more.Visit our Newsroom
We make it simple for anyone to plant trees, and together we can make an incredible impact. Learn more
Become a business partner to improve your company’s sustainability initiatives and make an impact. Learn more
See how your support and leadership can help us fund reforestation efforts across the globe. Learn more
Become a business partner to improve your company’s sustainability initiatives and make an impact. Learn more
See how your support and leadership can help us fund reforestation efforts across the globe. Learn more
Read about stories from the field, interesting facts about trees and get your healthy dose of nature. Visit our blog
Comprised of lesson plans, learning modules, resources, and activities, our T.R.E.E.S. School Program is the perfect addition to your curriculum. Learn more
Read about stories from the field, interesting facts about trees and get your healthy dose of nature. Visit our blog
Comprised of lesson plans, learning modules, resources, and activities, our T.R.E.E.S. School Program is the perfect addition to your curriculum. Learn more
Our fan-favorite Reforestation T-Shirt. Wear it with pride to show your support of reforesting our planet, one tree at a time. Shop now
Give the gift that lasts a lifetime! Choose an image, write your personalized message and select a delivery date to gift a tree. Gift a tree
Our fan-favorite Reforestation T-Shirt. Wear it with pride to show your support of reforesting our planet, one tree at a time. Shop now
Give the gift that lasts a lifetime! Choose an image, write your personalized message and select a delivery date to gift a tree. Gift a tree
In recent years, trees have gotten a lot of attention as a top climate change solution. And while that remains true, in order for our collective climate efforts to succeed, reforestation needs to happen alongside other critical actions—such as reducing global emissions and protecting existing forests. That said, planting the right trees in the right place, at the right time, and for the right reasons, is a powerful Nature-based Solution.
So how do trees do it? Most people know they produce oxygen and absorb carbon from the atmosphere, but trees do so much more than that. Interested to learn more about the relationship between trees and the climate? Keep reading to find out!
Healthy forests play a critical role in regulating our planetary systems — and have a measurable and observable affect on the climate and atmosphere. Here are just a few:
Forests combat climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in their biomass. According to World Resource Institute's Global Forest Review, the world’s existing forests absorb a net 7.6 billion metric tons of carbon from the atmosphere each year — equivalent to about 30% of what is emitted every year.
Trees remove many other harmful airborne pollutants that are associated with climate change. These include gaseous pollutants (gaseous molecules in the air) such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone, as well as particulate matter (a mixture of solid particle and liquid droplets in the air) like soot, smoke, dust, and organic chemicals.
Trees and forests regulate temperatures in urban and rural landscapes. This reduces the amount of energy that’s needed to maintain safe indoor temperatures. Studies show that temperatures in urban areas can vary by 12-18°F between neighborhoods—and much of that variation can be attributed to differences in tree cover and green space.
Healthy forests absorb rainwater and slow its movement, reducing flooding—and protecting soil integrity and water quality. Approximately 44% of the carbon that forests store is stored in the first meter of forest soils—making soil conservation a critical benefit of forests. Their ability to absorb and slow rainwater also helps increase the climate change resilience of forests, related ecosystems, and nearby communities.
Forests contain 60,000 tree species, 80% of amphibian species, 75% of bird species, and 68% of the world's mammal species. Protecting and restoring biodiversity across all ecosystem types is critical in the fight against climate change. Combined, land and ocean ecosystems absorb around half of all greenhouse gases emitted through human activities. Biodiversity and climate profoundly impact each other — and protecting biodiversity is a critical part of the climate fight.
For all of the climate benefits that trees provide, the relationship between trees and climate is more complex than you might think. Because trees store carbon in their biomass, they also release it when they die and decompose naturally, get cut down, when they burn an a forest fire, and more. They also naturally emit carbon during their life cycle — about half of what they absorb.
All of this underscores how critical it is to conserve existing forests, so they may live out their life span—not have it cut short by deforestation, natural disasters, changing climate conditions, and more. But while reforestation alone won't solve the climate crisis, it's still an important part of the solution.
Want to start helping the planet? Consider planting trees today!
Meaghan works to share our story far and wide, manages our blog calendar, coordinates with the team on projects + campaigns, and ensures our brand voice is reflected across channels. With a background in communications and an education in environmental conservation, she is passionate about leveraging her creativity to help the environment!
01/10/2024 by Gabrielle Clawson
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