Protecting Large Trees

NY Times has a very interesting article about the importance of protecting the older trees. 

"...big trees (those with a diameter greater than three feet at chest height) account for only 1 percent of trees but store half of the area's biomass, according to a study published this week in PLoS ONE.

It's important to respect your elders, children are reminded. It seems that this goes for trees, too."

Great Green Wall

In an effort to combat the desertification and drought of several African countries, the Global Environment Facility is lending a much-needed helping hand. How, exactly? By planting a living wall of trees, 9 miles thick and an amazing 4,400 miles long across Africa. The wall will traverse 11 countries in the Sahel-Saharan region.


The Global Environment Facility, GEF, is a ground-breaking independent financial institution that addresses environmental issues to bring about lasting change. Their announcement to help the “Great Green Wall” project appropriately coincided with the United Nations’ “World Day to Combat Desertification.”


All in all, the GEF pledged $119 million to put the plan, originally adopted by the African Union three years ago, in motion. The amount that each country receives will depend solely on their size. Currently, the wall is slated to go up in Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti.