Prompted Post 10/17: Contemplating Controversy

I found an interesting article on a current controversial topic, in forestry, where planting trees is starting to be used as a method to offset the increasing carbon emissions in the atmosphere. A newspaper reporter writes the article and presents a fair amount of bias from the opposing group of tree planting. The two groups are those for tree planting and those against. After reading the article, the context she uses to describe the European Conservation group, against tree planting, sounds very negative. The group doesn’t provide any evidence to use against the tree planting and the conservation group sounds very ignorant on the issue using the quote, “Tree-planting is a ‘phony climate fix’” (Houlder). The European Conservation group, Fern, is negative on the idea of tree planting in general and don’t back up their opinion with any information. Fern goes on to say that tree planting does, "nothing to combat climate change while exacerbating local environmental problems and the social inequalities, local tensions and access to land problems". They appear more concerned about issues on a local level. Hesitant to accept tree planting because of some of the negative consequences it will have on the community level.

I think that the facts are the most important thing to consider on this issue. It’s a simple as understanding that planting trees speeds up the amount of carbon taken out of the air. “The UK-based Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management estimates that 458 tonnes of carbon dioxide are stored within one hectare of mature oak woodland” (Houlder). It’s as simple as that, trees store a large amount of carbon and reduces the heat produced from the appearance of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere and most of the controversy on this subject is from the ignorant companies like Fern that won’t accept the facts and are too concerned with other minor issues associated with change. Change is always difficult but a big part of forestry right now is towards the management of ecosystems and requires change in the current system. Forests aren’t being treated well enough and will have irreversible consequences if this goes unchanged. Major scaled planting of trees is a great idea but will take time, especially if people remain skeptical and remain unaware of the impact that carbon emissions have on the atmosphere.

Works Cited

Houlder, Vanessa. "Trees Won't Cure the Greenhouse Effect: CLIMATE CHANGE: As Environmentalists Meet in Milan, Vanessa Houlder Looks at the Controversy Surrounding the use of Forestry to Offset Carbon Emissions:" Financial Times: 13. Dec 05 2003. ProQuest. Web. 17 Oct. 2013 .