BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW
As the saying goes, “Where there are trees, there is life.” “A tree gives shadow even for the axe-man.” No need to solicit a professional in order to understand the veracity of the aforesaid two sayings. Trees are a guarantee to sustain life as a human being. That is why, the world marks the international day of forest every March with a view to raise awareness of the people towards the significance of forests considering that life is worthless with the absence of trees.
When people drink a glass of water, write in a notebook, take medicine for a fever or build a house, they do not always make the connection with forests. And yet, these and many other aspects of their lives are linked to forests in one way or another.
When people destroy vegetation in order to get land, food, fodder, fuel or timber, the soil is no longer protected and will be exposed to leaching and desertification, said Sutuma Edessa, an Ecologist.
Forest sustainable management and their use of resources are key to combating climate change, and to contributing to the prosperity and well-being of current and future generations. Forests also play a crucial role in poverty alleviation and in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet despite all these priceless ecological, economic, social and health benefits, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate.
It is not an ordinary thing to explain that desertification is the reduction or destruction of the Lands biological potential , which finally results in the appearance of the desert condition including the aspects off degradation of ecosystems, uncertain climate changes and over exploitation, which is the most serious environmental problem solving of the world today.
Trees are important instruments that mitigate climate changes and reduce the amount of pollutants using different mechanisms. Climate change stands for the variation In other words, climate change is the long term fluctuations of climates in the duration of 10,000 to 1,000,000 years caused by a periodic changes in solar activity (changes in extra-terrestrial isolation due to gradual changes in orbit eccentricity and inclination on the ecliptic precision of the equinoxes), Sutuma indicated.
In other words, climate change can be defined as the long term fluctuations in temperature, precipitation, wind and all other aspects of the earth’s climate. One of the most important factors determining the earth’s climate is also the greenhouse effect, which is usually caused by industrial emission of greenhouse gases expressed by the increase of global temperature or global warming. Environmental protection is a complex system, mostly integrated with the vegetation cover of our planet and food security.
Degradation of agricultural resource basis (deforestation, soil erosion, desertification, waste of water, pollution of water and global warming) are as a result of greenhouse effect. In the struggle against desertification and destruction of natural resources, tree plantation plays important role, said Sutuma.
As to the expert, the value of trees cannot be described by a single word. When the climate makes agriculture difficult, trees are there to help the farmer in harsh climate or conditions. Plantation of trees in gardens and parks, along streets and road sides, green belts around villages and cities is useful to reduce noise, for aesthetical value and ecological importance. Plantation of poly-functional trees for the purpose of shelter, shade, ornament, hedges, scent and odors source of fruits or nesting for birds in suitable locality is recommendable to apply in day-to-day life.
Experts in the field will discuss how forest-based innovations, resource efficiency, forest-based products and ecosystem services can contribute to a sustainable lifestyle and accelerate a shift towards more sustainable consumption and production. These efforts help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, health, wellbeing and a transition towards low-carbon and green economies.
Wood helps to provide bacteria-free food and water in many kitchens, build countless furniture and utensils, replace materials as harmful as plastic, create new fibers for our clothes and, through technology, be part of the fields of medicine or the space race.
It is vital to consume and produce wood in a more environmentally friendly way for the planet and its inhabitants. Let’s protect this easily renewable resource with a sustainable management of forests.
Countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns. As part of the world, the ever worsening impact of climate change has not spared Ethiopia.
“Climate change impacts have greatly affected Ethiopia in terms of flooding, drought and food insecurity,” says Margaret Oduk, Programme Coordinator of UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Liaison Office to the African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and Ethiopia.
“On one hand, lowland areas are experiencing increased temperatures and prolonged droughts which in turn affect livestock rearing. On the other hand, highland areas are experiencing more intense and/or irregular rainfall, which together with high temperatures result in decreased agricultural production.”
“In 2017 alone, the country lost over 2 million animals due to drought. Furthermore, environmental degradation—exacerbated by increased human use of land, unsustainable agricultural practices, indiscriminate grazing of animals and the collection of firewood for household energy—has contributed to reduced land cover and protection against soil erosion, which in turn is further reducing forest cover,” she says.
To address this situation, Ethiopia has embarked on an ambitious tree-planting programme, and planted over 350 million trees in a single day, breaking a new world record.
Under the country’s National Green Development programme—launched in May 2019 in a bid to combat climate change and environmental degradation— Ethiopia plans to hit the target set of 20 billion trees across the country by the end of 2022. Although the target was set to plant 20 billion trees in four years, more than 18 billion seedlings were already planted over the past three years.
Preparation of seedlings are going well in farm and community tree nurseries which can be owned and managed by individual farmers , self-help groups, schools, churches and other local institutions said Prime Minister Abiy adding that this will assist us to hit the four years target.
Plantation of multipurpose tree species plays a key role in improving land use systems and application of modern technologies. Multipurpose trees are woody perennials that are purposefully grown to provide more than one significant contribution to the production and or service functions of land use systems to reduce risk and are economically, socially and environmentally sound, Sutuma suggested.
As many experts agreed upon, even if the effort that Ethiopia made so far is incredible, its neighbors should second it so as to strengthen the stride to reverse climate change impact. Djibouti recently joined the tree plantation campaign to make it a reality. Considering that tree plantation is one factor contributing to desertification, countries in the horn of Africa need to cooperate and change the worst scenario observed in the horn of Africa.
The Ethiopian Herald March 23/2022
