I’ve read some encouraging news recently, about the increase in forested area in Ethiopia.
Due to deforestation, Ethiopia has lost pretty much all of its green coverage.
In later years, however, there have been many campaigns to reforest the country that involved not only planting new trees, but also educating people about how to care for them.
It seems that these efforts are finally paying off and slowly, Ethiopia is recovering its old green cover.
Not so long ago, 35% of the nation was covered with trees, but by the year 2000, only 3% of that forest remained. In the last decade that percentage has increased to 9% and if the tree planting continues over time, Ethiopia has a chance to bounce back and be again a green paradise that will benefit people and wild life alike.
This recovering project is called “Greening Ethiopia” and it promises to be a success; for the first time multiple factors are converging to change the landscape and the future of Ethiopia. Local governments, the private sector and developmental agencies are working together and the most important thing of all is the involvement of local people to plant, and protect their environment.
Forests are a big weapon to combat global warming. They keep temperatures down, prevent soil erosion and oxygenate the air among other things. I can daily appreciate their multiple benefits, since I live in a neighborhood with huge trees, and in my house during the summer temperatures are usually several degrees below than in the city. Actually Oregon and Washington have the tallest trees in the world and scientists are currently studying how they soak carbon dioxide and positively influence against global warming.
You can easily compare on the map below the Pacific NW (where I live) with Ethiopia, or other parts of the world:
 

Lets keep planting trees for our children and all the future generations!

Links:

Ethiopia’s forest cover triples
’Greening Ethiopia’ breaks a vicious cycle
Greening Ethiopia for food security and end to poverty
Ethiopian Tree Fund Foundation

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