Three Million Trees Planted in Mexico City This Summer
by Eliza Barclay, Nomad on 09.13.07
Earlier this summer Mexican President Felipe Calderón unveiled his government's National Climate Change Strategy, a plan with specific targets for reducing as much as 25 billion tons of CO2. The plan isn't pegged to any particular year's levels, but lists opportunities for emissions reduction and carbon capture by 2014.
The comprehensive carbon-sequestration section features a call to plant 250 million trees in 2007, the development of wood-based biofuels in forest communities and restoration of agricultural lands. While the tree-planting goal is obviously quite ambitious, the Distrito Federal, or Federal District, which encompasses much of Mexico City, has made a solid contribution to the goal by planting three million trees in 25 communities over 49,000 acres (20,000 hectares) in the district's rural southern zone.
According to the National Forest Commission (Spanish link), as of mid August, 50 million tree seedlings had been distributed around the country, which means they may reach the goal of 250 million trees by year's end.
The Distrito Federal loses on average 1,000 acres (400 hectares) of natural areas per year, and while the state has set aside 200,000 acres (80,000 hectares) for conservation purposes, only 158,000 acres (64,000 hectares) remain due to illegal logging and squatting. :: Via ::Reforma (Spanish link and subscription required)
The only problem with this is much of Mexico is either desert or scrubland. If they were replenishing their rainforests it would help with overall carbon sinks. Planting trees for the sake of planting trees isn't an answer. Just a cheap way to think you are actually reducing carbon. A tree will take 40 years to gather its carbon and if that isn't sealed somehow, it will immediately start releasing it on death. Hopefully they have other initiatives to bolster this plan.
A tree will take 40 years to gather its carbon and if that isn't sealed somehow, it will immediately start releasing it on death.
It releases CO2 upon dying? No carbon gets sequestered in the soil from a tree?
News to me!
I just want to know where you get that many trees to plant...
Maybe if you bury the tree, then you can sequester the carbon. If it sits on the surface it will decay and release CO2. I guess they could turn all 3 million trees into new homes and furniture when they die to keey the carbon sequestered. Chances are they will be used as much and allowed to decay, used as firewood or left where they fall to decay.
"A tree will take 40 years to gather its carbon and if that isn't sealed somehow, it will immediately start releasing it on death."
"It releases CO2 upon dying? No carbon gets sequestered in the soil from a tree?"
Yes a tree releases much of its CO2 when it dies. No, not all of it is released. You will note he never said that, though.
Hi Tim,
Thanks for your comment. The Mexican government purchased the seedlings through a federally-funded program called PROARBOL.
Cheers,
Eliza Barclay
TreeHugger Correspondent
I want to know how they exactly got the tree's to where they needed to be planted.... probibly using trucks right?? Do you think thats good for earth? Espically mexico city, they have enough cars as it is there. Mexico needs to reduce the amount of cars in the city!
You will note he never said that, though.
No, you're right. He didn't use those exact same words. He just meant or strongly implied that (otherwise why say it).
Great point.