For more than 26 years, Earth Day Canada has been providing programs for children and adults to come together and celebrate the Earth. The charity works year round, but their big day is April 22. In 2016, the goal of Earth Day is to plant 25,000 trees across the country to help replace the global forest. Globally, the goal is to plant 7.8 billion trees by 2020. In order to reach that goal, Canadians have to plant 35 million trees over the next five years. This is a project that everyone must get behind to improve air quality and replace the tree canopy before it’s too late.
What’s Happening to the Forest & Environment?
According to Earth Day Canada, about 32 million acres of forest are vanishing each year. That’s equivalent to a country the size of Greece. We’re losing that many trees every year. If it keeps going at that rate, within 200 years abut 54 percent of the remaining forests will be gone. This is not just in Canada, but worldwide. Deforestation is a byproduct of urban sprawl and manufacturing, but we have to do something to stop the progression of tree loss.
Within the United Nations, many countries are coming together each year to make a commitment to support the tree canopy and reforestation. On Earth Day, these countries, including Canada, meet at the UN and sign the Paris Climate Agreement and The New York Declaration on Forests. The pledge is to reduce the amount of deforestation by 2020 and completely end it by 2030. By the end of 2020, the global goal is to replace 370 million acres of forest. For comparison, Ontario has about 266 million acres.
Where Are the Trees Being Planted?
When most people think of a forest, they think of a huge section of land with many different trees. Sure, there are very precise definitions of a forest based on the density of trees and ecology of the area, etc. Today’s ecologists are having to redefine forestry, because the land just isn’t there. Gardeners can take the principles of a forest and apply them to smaller spaces in which three or four trees can be planted. These urban micro-forests fit into a front yard or on the roadside to increase the number of trees in the community without taking up space that is already being utilized.
Environmentalists are also looking at smaller areas along the coast or in rural areas where trees can be placed to stop erosion and increase the resiliency of the ecosystem. Just look out your window at home and think about where you could plant three trees to create a new setting. According to one report, for every dollar spent on a tree, a city reaps about $5.60 in benefits. Trees reduce air pollution and prevent soil runoff.
Helping The Environment
Trees are a great way to connect to nature while helping the environment and reducing emissions. Realtors have long believed that mature trees increase a home’s salability. One report estimates that trees in the landscaping of a home can increase the property value by about 20 percent. A full-grown tree can have a valuation of $1,000 or more. When trees are planted properly around a building or home, it can reduce the energy used to heat and cool the home. In a community, trees can stimulate economic development and attract more businesses and tourists.
Schoolchildren across Canada will take part in Earth Day events, but there are a number of programs outside of schools in which everyone can take part. Do your part for the environment by finding one close to you or planting trees in your own yard. Let’s meet the goal of reducing deforestation by working together.