Forests are vital to the planet’s ability to process carbon, sequestering it, but, more commonly and importantly, converting it to oxygen for us to breathe. Healthy, old-growth forests clean more carbon from the atmosphere than arithmetic (and a count of the area covered) would lead one to conclude because of symbiosis.
Central Florida suffers from urban sprawl to an extent which rivals the nation’s oldest cities. At our current pace, soon we we’ll have not just suburbs next to suburbs but exurbs, where residential areas ringing cities become so large and traffic so bad that new city centers are born. Indeed, the Interstate 4 corridor between Orlando and Tampa is growing so fast that it is known by some as “Orlampa.”
For my community, the benefits of reforestation, then, are more difficult to achieve because large tracts of undisturbed land are scarce. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t bother rebuilding an area’s tree canopy, though. The 2004 hurricane season felled tens of thousands of trees in Greater Orlando. Fortunately, we have an initiative called “10,000 Trees.” On August 18, I combined my work as a life member and former leader of the Sierra Club with my commitment to reforestation. I volunteered at a tree planting.
At 9:00 last Saturday morning, 20 volunteers convened to plant 20 trees in South Orlando near the airport. The crepe myrtles, elms and oaks were disbursed throughout the neighborhood. Hence, we didn’t plant a future forest. Nevertheless, the experience was joyful. The last time I planted trees was 1997 when my wife Catrin and I added crepe myrtles to our front yard. 5 out of 6 of those trees line our property to this day and I never tire of admiring their beauty.
The conclusion? I have invested thousands of dollars in Amazon reforestation through the Nature Conservancy’s Adopt An Acre program. I am very proud of that accomplishment. However, as important as those trees are, there is no substitute for planting a tree with elbow grease, as part of a team. Give it a try! You’ll reduce carbon in the atmosphere while contributing to the natural splendor and cleanliness of your surroundings.
Photos of the event will be available soon. When they are, I will post the link with a description here.
Sustainable Justice For All!
Corbett Kroehler
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