EDEN REFORESTATION PROJECTS

Somewhere in the world, precisely in Nepal, Madagascar, Haiti and Ethiopia someone is trying to reduce extreme poverty and restore healthy forests by employing local villagers to plant millions of trees, this is called  "The Eden Projects. Plant Trees. Save lives.".

The mission of this nonprofit organisation is strictly linked with the opportunity of planting trees and at the same time creating jobs in the local economies on the behalf of donors, businesses, and foundations. The main objective is to recreate healthy forest systems that enable the local economics sustains themselves.
Their goal by 2020 is to plant 100 million trees each year and employ thousands of people in countries where poverty is severe. 

Here below a short summary of the different projects:

NEPAL: This country is extremely poor and the population depends from the natural environment for the supply of food, shelter and incomes. Therefore, it is essential to educate the local population about the protection of the environment in order to maintain the lands and life conditions.

MADAGASCAR: This island has over 200,000 different species of plants and animals that do not exist anywhere else in the world. Recently, over 90% of Madagascar’s original forests have been destroyed putting at risk the flora and fauna.

Eden Projects launched "The Mangrove project" which is replenishing about 1.4 Million trees per month. The Mangrove tree grows in saline coastal habitats in tropics and subtropics areas, they have huge root systems that enable them not only to withstand the changing of the tides, but also to hold the ground from washing away with the changing of floods.

HAITI: Haiti is one of the most environmentally degraded countries on earth, mainly because the majority of the population uses charcoal as their primary cooking fuel and the charcoal production determinate the constant deforestation of the island. Furthermore, in the last decades hurricanes and earthquakes contributed to the soil degradation and as consequence 98% of Haiti’s forests have already disappeared.
In the recent years, in order to improve the situation of this country, local schools have been involved and students are now taught how to growing seedlings of their own. 

ETHIOPIA: The Ethiopian project is on hold for lack of funds. There is the need for a partner groups in Ethiopia willing to support the needy and the environment.

These all are great projects and anyone who is interested in being involved more can visit the website below for further information:

http://www.edenprojects.org/

TREES IN THE DESERT

Recently I have been on holiday in the United Arab Emirates and I was surprised to see how much they are into trees.

I was having a coffee in one of the Starbucks in Adu Dhabi and my attention was caught by this poster on the Starbucks's wall.

This chain is sponsorizing several projects in order to contrast the global warming.










One of them is called "Plant a Tree" and its aim to plant over 2,000 trees (at least half of them should be Ghaf trees: the national tree of UAE) in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain by the end of 2016.

I particularly liked the fact that the UAE are mainly a desert area but they are trying to generate green areas out of the sands in order to contrast drought and improve the life style of their communities.


It is also important to mention Goumbook which operates in Dubai.
Not only this organization is involved in the trees' planting of the region but they also promote an economy which protect the environment and they encourage the reduction of the use of plastics.


Here the links that I visited:

http://community.mena.starbucks.com/
http://goumbook.com/about-us/what-is-goumbook.html
http://sustainablemena.com/

NATIONAL TREE WEEK 2016

26th November - 4th December 2016

On November 26th it will start next NATIONAL TREE WEEK and various councils, community and schools will be involved in tree planting. 
This event commenced in 1975 and it is becoming more and more popular, please find the event closed to your area in the link below:

http://www.treecouncil.org.uk/Take-Part/Near-You




Also, this is the link to the official website where you can find further information about this event:

https://treecharter.uk/?event=national-tree-week-2016

BREATH YOUR TREES

Every day more and more people talk about the benefits of the trees on the air we breath and...

...actually IT IS TRUE!!

It is enough to browse online of a short period of time to find so many researches, studies, journals, bulletins and statistics written in every corner of the globe that support this theory.

For instance, a research conducted in 2014 in Canada by the University of Chicago and the University of Toronto sustains that trees in urban areas can decreases cardio-metabolic conditions in ill persons.

They demonstrated that trees can improve the air quality and they seem to help reducing blood pressure; also it is proved that physical activity in the open spaces are beneficial for the human being and people who live surrounded by trees perceive to be part of an healthier environment.

Another research conducted by forester Dave Nowak in 2010 discusses the fact that trees prevent acute respiratory symptoms. It is shown that nitrogen dioxide (N02) is linked to respiratory diseases such as emphysema and bronchitis as well as cancer and heart disease and it even contribute to premature deaths.

Trees and forests can remove tonnes of air pollution, intercept particulates and absorb gasses through their leaves.

In London for example, there is a borough which is badly suffering from the air pollution, it is Putney in which the conditions of the air are worst than New York or Shanghai. In Putney at the beginning of the 2016 the annual diesel pollution limits in the high street have been breach several times.

To quickly improve this critical situation, the Wandsworth council decided to plant some trees in the Putney High street as part of a wider project which incorporates a plan for new zero emission taxis and the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone from 2020 and road circulation improvement.

Already in 2011, the Mayor Boris Johnson claimed to increase the green area of the capital of 5% by 2025, hopefully this will help to improve the situation in the Capital and in its suburban areas.

TIP

I have found out also this interesting tip: eating Broccoli is good for the body (it is considered a form of chemoprevention) as they help to excrete benzene through the urine.

References:

The Health Benefits of Trees: <http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/07/trees-good/375129/> 2016

Study Finds Large Health Benefits To Living Near Trees: <http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/there-are-health-benefits-living-near-trees-study-suggests/> 2014

Putney High Street breaches annual diesel pollution limit eight days in to 2016: <http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/putney-high-street-breaches-annual-diesel-pollution-limit-eight-days-in-to-2016-a3151546.html>

New trees for Putney High treet: <http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/news/article/11601/new_trees_for_putney_high_street>

London’s Urban Forest: A Guide for Designers, Planners and Developers: The Canopy:

<https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/tdag_canopyweb.pdf> 2011

Broccoli loves us: <http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/06/the-only-reason-anyone-would-eat-broccol-i/372899/> 2016

ECOSIA

Do you know ECOSIA?                           

THIS IS A FANTASTIC INITIATIVE !!


This search engine helps the environment just surfing in the web!!

Ecosia donates up to 80% of their profit to trees planting programs in different area of the planet. At the moment they operate in Peru, Madagascar and Burkina Faso where the local communities are involved in trees planting and as consequence this stimulates jobs growth. 

On a monthly base, Ecosia issues a report of all the trees planted so everyone can see the improvements they are doing.

Therefore... switch to ECOSIA !!

Please find further information on the link below:

https://info.ecosia.org/project

Talk soon

Jenny

International Seminar on ‘Improving Collection and Use of Data on the Socioeconomic Benefits from Forests and Trees’

Thursday 27th October 2016 at 9 am Rome - Italy

Hello All!!


I just found out that there is a seminar taking place in Rome on Thursday, 27 October 2016 and it will be discussed how 'Improving Collection and Use of Data on the Socioeconomic Benefits from Forests and Trees' can lead to a sustainable development.


This event is organized by the Italian National Institute of Statistics in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO).
I believe it is super interesting and it is free of charge so anyone can take part of it.


If interested do not wait too long and visit the link below to register yourself and for further information:<http://www.fao.org/forestry/socioeconomic-benefits-forests/en/>


Unfortunately I will not be able to take part, but if anyone will have the chance to participate please send me some information!


Talk soon
Jenny

THE LONDON GARDEN BRIDGE

Did you guys hear about the London Garden Bridge? 

This footbridge will link north and south of London from Temple to South bank and it will be completely free. The construction works started this year and the they should be completed by 2019.

This is an amazing idea and the project needs the support of many people, just leave a comment it is not required to subscribe or give money.

People will have the chance to immerse themselves in green even when everything around them is grey. 

Please have a look at this link and support the cause: 
https://www.gardenbridge.london/about-the-project

Thanks
Jenny

HI THIS IS ME!!

Hello All,

my name is Jenny and I decided to start a blog about trees since I am a nature lover and I get heart broken every time I see trees being cut in order to develop a new building.

I live in London and I am part of the Tree Warden Scheme of my borough, my aim is to have as many people as possible involved in this blog in order to have the greenest London as never before.
If you happy to help me, please spread the word.

Talk soon.
Jenny