Tropical rainforests provide many ecosystem services, including absorbing carbon and filtering water, and although they now comprise only five percent of the world's landmass (as opposed to 12 percent previously) restoration efforts are underway to reverse this trend. Project Drawdown ranks tropical rainforest restoration as the fifth most powerful strategy we can pursue for slowing and eventually reversing climate change. If these efforts continue, these valuable ecosystems could sequester 61.23 gigatons of CO2 emissions by the year 2050.
The stories in this collection (see below) demonstrate how people around the world are working to restore degraded tropical forests. In Malawi, using a three-pronged approach of providing water filters, planting trees, and using effective cookstoves has helped curb rapid deforestation. Other regions have come up with solutions, like substituting using tropical forests for fast-growing bamboo as a firewood source in Africa, and partnerships with indigenous communities that offer compensation in return for forest protection. Columbia is also building an ecotourism industry to incentivize leaving forests in-tact and drones are being used to re-plant forests in Myanmar. This solution is one of the Drawdown Ecochallenge actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
https://www.dw.com/en/can-bird-watching-help-save-colombias-forests/a-43889538
Manuel Rueda
Deutsche Welle (DW)
7 March 2018
Multi-Media / 800-1500 Words
Cities near some of Columbia's national forests have seen a dramatic increase in their bird populations and tourism numbers after fighting between the government and guerilla groups quieted down. Many locals are finding economic prosperity by taking advantage of the war-zone turned bird watching phenomenon.
https://www.ozy.com/fast-forward/if-a-tree-falls-in-the-forest-a-drone-may-be-there-to-see-it-and-seed-bomb/88422
Justin Higginbottom
OZY
20 September 2018
Multi-Media / 800-1500 Words
Drones aren't just for filmmaking and covert operation anymore. A team in India has devised a way to turn these flying contraptions into seed-dropping tools that also measure the progress and success of reforestation efforts.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/13/in-africas-vanishing-forests-the-benefits-of-bamboo
Tina Rosenberg
The New York Times
13 March 2012
Text / 1500-3000 Words
In Africa, many people rely on wood from trees to cook food over stoves. The tremendous usage of wood contributes to deforestation and environmental decline. Using bamboo instead of wood is a more profitable and greener solution.
https://news.mongabay.com/2017/03/indigenous-peoples-in-colombia-play-crucial-role-in-the-fight-against-climate-change
Bart Crezee
Mongabay
30 March 2017
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Protecting forests against deforestation is key to reducing CO2 emissions, which is what the UN mechanism- REDD+ aims to do by creating contracts with rural areas for them to protect their area's forest for 30 years in exchange for compensation. So far several problems have arisen that question the effectiveness of this mechanism which need attention going forward.
http://www.ensia.com/photos/to-everyones-surprise-forests-are-returning-to-malawi-heres-why
Didem Tali
Ensia
26 May 2015
Photojournalism / Under 800 Words
The people of Malawi count on wood for cooking, cleaning, and sanitation, which contributes to the country’s ranking as fifth highest in the world for deforestation. Once thought unsolvable, the people of the country are planting trees, benefiting from water filters, and using efficient cookstoves.
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