An environmental group in the United Kingdom has planted over 300,000 trees to help improve air quality and absorb heat-trapping gasses from the atmosphere.
As reported by the BBC, more than 2,000 volunteers for the North East Community Forest have spent the last 12 months planting the trees and hedgerows. The initiative, which has taken place across Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, and rural County Durham, is part of an effort to bring more woodland to the region.
Six local councils in the area were also involved in the scheme as part of their mission to create healthier and happier places for people to live.
Maintaining natural areas that are home to a variety of native trees and plants is a great way to help conserve vital biodiversity, which contributes to food security and the development of medicines, according to the World Health Organization. Many of our leisure activities, such as hiking, camping, bird-watching, and water sports, also benefit from biodiversity.
This is one reason why people around the world are recognizing the importance of biodiversity and taking measures to protect it. For example, some families have donated land to conservation trusts. Additionally, the United States has rolled out a conservation strategy to protect large areas of the ocean surrounding the country. Land restoration projects have also been underway for a long time in the Amazon, and recently efforts to protect it have resulted in a decrease in deforestation in Brazil.
Conserving biodiversity can also help mitigate the dangers associated with a warming planet. Natural areas are great at absorbing heat-trapping gases from the atmosphere and can help communities cope with and recover from natural disasters, per the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The efforts of the North-East Community Forest are a great example of community groups coming together to restore land and protect biodiversity. Per the BBC, North East Community Forest estimates that its new trees will soak up more than 56,000 tons of carbon dioxide over the next three decades.
"The creation of these new woodlands is vital in our efforts to tackle climate change, enhance air quality, and create happier and healthier places to live, work, and visit," Juna Sathian, climate and transport representative for Newcastle City Council, told the news organization.
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