How does planting trees contribute towards climate change mitigation? Source: Akil Mazumder

Environmental campaigns would not be complete without a tree-planting initiative. They are not only relatively straightforward but are also highly effective. From non-governmental organisations to businesses of all shapes and sizes - everyone is urging everyone else to plant trees. It is commonly believed doing so will help CO2 reduction and restore our natural ecosystems.

Even YouTubers have done it! MrBeast and Mark Rober initiated the charity campaign called #TEAMTREES. The project began on October 25, 2019 - notable YouTubers like PewDiePie, Rhett & Link, and The Try Guys, and entrepreneurs like Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey donated and promoted the campaign. By November of this year, #TEAMTREES has amassed more than $24 million dollars, exceeding their goal of $20 million. They started tree planting in January 2020 and have since planted more than 20 million trees.

However, while all of these efforts are noble, critics have suggested that the power of tree planting in tackling climate change is often overstated. This makes us beg the question of whether tree planting can curb the effects of climate change. Do our humble trees hold the power to save the entire planet?

Why Trees?

As they grow, trees aid in soaking up and storing carbon that would otherwise contribute to global warming. Trees, including plants, need sunlight energy for photosynthesis — a process that turns carbon dioxide and water into glucose for cellular energy. Photosynthesis is the function through which leaves absorb carbon dioxide and water, using the power of the sun to transform them into chemical compounds (like sugars) that feed the tree. As a byproduct of this, the tree produces and releases oxygen.

Trees act like a sponge for carbon dioxide and assist our soil to do the same. They are crucial to halting climate change - even if they don't do as much as the oceans, which absorb 90% of all carbon emissions and experience the effects of ocean acidification. Our ancient and veteran trees are even more important than we realised, locking away twice as much carbon as previously understood.

Furthermore, coupled with the right tracking tools and software, trees can protect us against flooding and storms, which are getting worse yearly due to our changing climate. They lessen flooding, stop the transport of chemicals into streams, and help in groundwater recharge. Trees also help reduce erosion by improving filtration, retaining soil particles, and slowing wind and water flow.

With all these benefits, it is no wonder that the more trees there are in the world, the better it is for every living, breathing thing on the planet.

Can Tree Planting Help Fight Climate Change?

As amazing as trees are, they will not be able to solve climate change all on their own. Even if we were all to become carbon neutral in an instant, we would still need to take 50% of the carbon out of the atmosphere. Since the industrial revolution, the carbon in the earth’s atmosphere has doubled, from a global average CO2 concentration between 1750 to 1800 of around 278ppm to levels in March 2021 at around 417ppm. It would take 1 trillion mature trees over 100 years to balance this - this nature-based solution was the foundation of the Trillion Trees Campaign. To make tree planting initiatives more effective, there must first be the thoughtful restoration of existing forests and reducing emissions.

Moreover, planting trees will not improve the climate if they are:

Later cut down and burned for energy
Planted without regard for the existing balance of local biodiversity
Planted without also engaging in efforts to reduce CO2 emissions (offsetting)
Planted without equal efforts toward protecting existing mature forests

However, we can at least try and plant 9Trees per person per year as a start whilst also forging ahead with a Net Zero roadmap. Only if we reduce emissions and preserve and repair existing forests will biodiverse tree planting help address the climate emergency we are experiencing.

How Can We Ensure That Our Tree Planting Initiatives Are Effective?

Planting trees haphazardly can result in unforeseen consequences. Instead, businesses, NGOs, and governments must plan to plant very thoroughly to unleash the full potential of trees. Here is how you can channel your enthusiasm for large-scale tree planting in a way that maximises the advantages:

1. Adapt Your Decision-Making To Different Scales

There are countless tree-planting campaigns that range from small-scale efforts, such as planting a few trees in a schoolyard, to large-scale projects - such as the planting of a trillion trees worldwide. Unfortunately, many stakeholders are driven to plant trees for varied reasons, are often not aligned, and may even be in conflict. For example, a global corporation might choose to finance a tree planting project through a conservation organisation to offset its greenhouse gas emissions. The conservation organisation uses the funds to plant trees on farmers' land to create habitats for endangered species because it does not own the land. Meanwhile, farmers might prefer to plant trees that have distinct advantages for their livelihoods in areas that are not suitable for growing crops, such as species with fruit crops or those that aid with erosion management. *Watch this space as 9Trees hopes to launch its first agroforestry project in Scotland in 2023.

The interests of all these stakeholders are valid but they must be coordinated and balanced as there are trade-offs, such as political conflict and projects going astray due to internal disputes. However, through a conservation organisation like 9Trees, you can not only positively affect biodiversity, but also the well-being of your team and provide rural jobs. By working in conjunction with the landowner, maintaining the delicate relationship between the historic custodians of the land (generational farmers and landowners) sustainable land use, and feeding the nation, offsetting your greenhouse gas emissions.

2. Strategise Your Tree Planting Initiative Wisely

Make sure you create tree-planting strategies that are specific to your defined project goals. After that, plan, monitor, and evaluate success (or failure) over a sufficiently long period.

Given the various reasons why people plant trees, it is critical to establish goals upfront and consider different options for achieving them over time. For example, is it necessary to plant trees, or can the forest recover on its own (which does occur occasionally)? If planting is needed, what tree species are most likely to thrive on a particular site and help a project reach its objectives? You also have to know who will look after the trees once planted.

3. Forest Over Trees Alone

Forests are teeming with life — they’re not limited to trees! There are herbs and vines, birds, mammals, fungi, insects, and so much more. These other species perform crucial tasks, including distributing seeds and pollinating plants.

That’s why choosing a strategy that considers the entire forest ecosystem is crucial in providing the full range of ecosystem services that benefit people from thorough tree planting - such as pollination, erosion control, and water purification.

4. Include All Stakeholders Throughout The Process

Tree planting and reforestation initiatives have repeatedly failed because the trees planted are not taken care of and stakeholders exploit the land for agricultural use or livestock grazing.

Hence, everyone involved in these projects must participate in conversations which should begin during the planning process, and continue through project evaluation and management. This will ensure everyone is on board and that their needs are met.

For further reading, see our 9Trees ‘Stages of Tree Planting’ toolkit and our outline for 50 years of management.

Tree Planting Helps Fight Climate Change When Done Properly

Right now, we’re seeing society push for individual action through sustainable living. While this helps immensely, we must not ignore the considerable impact of strategies and solutions that involve many people. It is time to recognize the potential of planting trees to help resolve some of the most urgent problems of our generation. However, to fully realise this potential, we need enthusiasm and thorough preparation, execution, and careful monitoring.

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By Kat Sarmiento - Environmental storyteller

Green gold: Does planting trees really help fight climate change?