Tree Huggers

This cascade of dams through the old-growth forests of northern Borneo will power a vast new industrial estate that authorities in Jakarta consider of strategic importance for Indonesia. The government says it hopes the Kalimantan Industrial Park Indonesia (KIPI) estate will be the largest “green industrial area” in the world.

“The industrial park, which covers an area of 13,000 hectares [32,000 acres], will be prepared for the development of the first EV battery, petrochemicals and aluminum industries,” Joko Widodo said on a visit to Bulungan district in 2023.

“We hope they will be supported by green energy, renewable energy and hydropower from the Mentarang River and the Kayan River in the province,” he added.

archived (Wayback Machine)

The Hong River seems to be safe from dam projects... for now.

same Wikipedia article in spanish

This is a forest ecosystem that people don't seem to talk about very much, but it's home to a huge diversity of animals, and many species are endemic. I just want to share this for those who are interested in learning about the natural world and forests in particular. Below are some excerpts from other articles online.

From this article:

This ecoregion is home to some of the largest dry forest remnants in western South America. These forests consist of species adapted to the extremely arid conditions of the dry season, including species of Ceiba tree, papellio and yellow cordia shrub species, and cacti. Other dominant species in the dry forest zone include hualtaco, guayacán, palo santo, ébano, charán, sapote, pasallo, angolo, almendro. It is considered to host one of the highest abundancies of mesquite.

The Tumbes-Piura Dry Forests ecoregion has a significant level of endemism within its flora community attributed to many species adapting to the arid conditions. The Carob tree species is noted for their ability yo capture and fix nitrogen into the soil with its roots, thereby improving nutrient conditions not only for themselves but also for other vegetation species nearby. Characteristic species of fauna in the ecoregion include southern tamandua, Guayaquil squirrel, common green iguana, and various species of birds such as parrots, parakeets, magpies, and some furnarids.

For decades, this ecoregion has been subjected to selective extraction of largely flora and some fauna. However, the habitats and wildlife have seen recovery relatively recently. This is attributed to the establishment of Cerros de Amotape National Park, and the positive effects of El Niño weather pattern that led to an increased water availability the ecosystem. El Niño is an irregular cyclic weather event stemming from warm Pacific Ocean waters causing changes in global climate, chiefly increased precipitation in this area. This increased rainfall helps thousands of plants germinate in the Tumbes-Piura Dry Forests ecoregion, facilitating the recovery of floral species as well as providing food, among other services, for faunal species.

From this article:

The Tumbes-Piura dry forests ecoregion is nestled along the Pacific coast of northwestern Peru and southwestern Ecuador. This unique and remarkable ecosystem is part of the larger Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena biodiversity hotspot. This ecoregion, often overshadowed by the more well-known tropical rainforests of the Amazon basin, is a biodiversity hotspot in its own right, harboring an exceptional concentration of endemic species and facing significant conservation challenges.

The Tumbes-Piura dry forests are renowned for their exceptional biodiversity and high levels of endemism. This ecoregion is home to numerous plant and animal species found nowhere else on Earth, making it a critical conservation priority. Notable endemic species include the Tumbes Hummingbird (Phaethornis baroni), the Tumbesian Antshrike (Thamnophilus tenuepunctatus), and the Tumbes Swallow (Tachycineta stolzmanni).

Despite its ecological significance, the Tumbes-Piura dry forests face various threats, including habitat loss and degradation due to agricultural expansion, urban development, and unsustainable resource extraction. Additionally, the region is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which can further exacerbate the effects of drought and alter the delicate balance of the ecosystem.

The Tumbes-Piura dry forests are a remarkable and often overlooked biodiversity hotspot, a testament to the incredible natural heritage of the Tumbesian region. As we work to safeguard the future of this unique ecosystem, we must recognize its ecological significance and commit to its protection for the benefit of the countless species that call it home and the generations to come.

While the Peruvian portion of the Tumbes-Piura forest has multiple protected areas (bordered in green in image below), Ecuador's portion remains unprotected. Over 90% of the unprotected forest has been cut down, and the ecoregion is considered critically endangered. Climate change is leading to more rainfall in the region, which has prevented desertification despite the massive deforestation. Extraction of wood for construction and charcoal production were major causes of deforestation in the past, but now, expansion of cow/goat pasture is probably the biggest threat, as it not only involves deforestation, but the grazing animals also kill seedlings and prevent natural regeneration.

The animals who depend on the Tumbes-Piura dry forests need protection just as much as those in other regions. Supporting reforestation of pastures and degraded lands in the region is one way to help them.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/20763989

What will the world look like in 2075 when temperatures could be 3-5° Celsius (4.5 to 9° Fahrenheit) higher than the pre-industrial average? And what should conservationists be doing now to better prepare nature for the changes to come? Mongabay interviewed eight conservationists to better understand how we can aid the natural world to build greater climate resilience.

Whitworth further describes conservation today as a three-legged stool. One leg is protected areas like national parks, the second is species-focused programs, but the third — and the least focused-on — is building climate resilience.

So, how do we do it? How do we build climate resilience into natural systems that are already under attack by deforestation, habitat destruction, over-exploitation and invasive species among other impacts?

Jean Labuschagne, director of conservation development at the NGO African Parks, spells it out with three components: “Large, connected, well-managed ecological systems.”

“Large intact ecosystems are naturally more resilient,” agrees James Deutsch, CEO of Rainforest Trust. “I think focusing on the most intact remaining large ecosystems, and especially large tropical forests, becomes really important … the very size provides adaptive ability.”

“Large intact ecosystems are naturally more resilient,” agrees James Deutsch, CEO of Rainforest Trust. “I think focusing on the most intact remaining large ecosystems, and especially large tropical forests, becomes really important … the very size provides adaptive ability.”

As an example of an optimal protected area for a hotter world, Andrew Whitworth points to Manu National Park in the Peruvian Amazon. Manu covers a vast area of 17,162 square kilometers (6,626 square miles), an area larger than the U.S. state of Connecticut. But just as important to Whitworth: Manu has an advantage many parks lack — it has both highlands and lowlands. Manu protects land all the way from just 150 meters (492 feet) above sea level to 4,200 m (13,779 ft.).

“It’s these elevational changes where you get this incredible biodiversity,” says Whitworth, who discovered a frog species new to science in Manu’s foothills.

A park with this much altitudinal difference will allow species to migrate upslope as Amazonian lowlands heat up and dry out, Whitworth explains. As climate change pummels our planet, species in temperate areas will move poleward — that is, northward in the northern hemisphere and southward in the southern. But in the tropics, they will move upslope — as far as possible.

While protecting lands that allow for temperate species to move will be vital, Whitworth says the most “bang for your buck” will be in preserving “tropical elevation gradients.” In lay terms, Whitworth is saying we need to connect lowland rainforests to highland rainforests and cloud forests, as high as possible, to provide refuges for tropical species to escape to, just like Manu does.

Currently, most corridors are built with specific species in mind — usually, large mammals, particularly predators. But Deutsch wonders whether it might be better to focus on building corridors for plants. Meanwhile, Christopher Jordan, Latin America director at Re:wild, says he’d like to see more corridors designed for seed-dispersers, such as herbivores or birds.

“Nature is the best technology we have. It’s running for millions of years,” says Schepers, adding that “restoring nature at scale … will also help us to mitigate a lot of the [climate] impacts.”

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cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/4579237

In an emergency directive issued late last week, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced her department’s plan to expand logging and timber production by 25 percent and, in the process, dismantle the half-century-old environmental review system that has blocked the federal government from finalizing major decisions concerning national forest lands without public insight.

Under Rollins’ direction and following an earlier executive order signed by President Donald Trump, the U.S. Forest Service would carry out the plan that designates 67 million acres of national forest lands as high or very high wildfire risk, classifies another 79 million acres as being in a state of declining forest health, and labels 34 million acres as at risk of wildfire, insects, and disease. All told, the declaration encompasses some 59 percent of Forest Service lands.

“Healthy forests require work, and right now we’re facing a national forest emergency. We have an abundance of timber at high risk of wildfires in our national forests,” said Rollins in a press release. “I am proud to follow the bold leadership of President Trump by empowering forest managers to reduce constraints and minimize the risks of fire, insects, and disease so that we can strengthen the American timber industry and further enrich our forests with the resources they need to thrive.”

While it may seem intuitive that cutting down high-risk trees will lead to less organic material that could incinerate, environmentalists say the administration’s plans to increase timber outputs, simplify permitting, and do away with certain environmental review processes are likely to only escalate wildfire risk and contribute more to climate change.

Full Article

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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/15364086

As I write this, I’m getting ready to leave for my seventh season of tree planting. I’ve had an eye on the weather all winter, watching as the snowpack levels in British Columbia reach lows not recorded since at least 1970, watching as rivers — like the confluence of the Nechako and Fraser rivers in Prince George — run dry.

According to data from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s National Agroclimate Information Service, by the end of March this year 85 per cent of B.C. was considered abnormally dry or in moderate to exceptional drought. The region that I’ll be planting in, near Burns Lake, is one of the driest in the province.

Over the years I’ve had many doubts about the ecological benefits of the province’s reforestation practices.

But last season marked the first time I started to wonder if tree planting might someday become ecologically unviable in some regions of the province.

The lack of precipitation coupled with unseasonably high temperatures made the soil on some blocks so dry and compacted it was like planting into a sheet of rock. I was often struck with the sense that the earth was actively rejecting the trees I was planting. I imagined the trees I’d planted withering and dying, eventually becoming fuel for the wildfires that were then burning all around us.

Was it possible that these intensifying climatic events could render some ecosystems unable to support the growth of new trees? Was I on the frontlines of witnessing the beginning of the end of reforestation as we’ve known it for the last 50 years?

I decided to ask around. I spoke to Sally Enns, who works as a forestry manager contracted by the Cheslatta Carrier Nation and is an incoming supervisor at the reforestation company I work for; we were based out of the same bush camp for part of last season. Reflecting on the drought conditions, she articulated many of the same concerns that I’d had.

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cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/20740038

“The temperatures, seasons, and patterns of rainfall and drought have all shifted noticeably. In the past 10 to 20 years, we have seen prolonged droughts and intense, shorter rainfalls that are insufficient for crop yield and production.”

In response to this new situation, the Ugandan government and civil society organizations have promoted planting trees as a solution. They are encouraging people in Kasese district to plant native species, which are more resistant to pests and diseases and offer ecological and socio-economic benefits.

archived (Wayback Machine)

cross-posted from: https://feddit.ch/post/2303021

According to a study by the federal technology institute ETH Zurich, the reforestation and restoration of existing forest areas around the world would make it possible to sequester an additional 226 gigatonnes of carbon. This corresponds to more than six times the global CO2 emissions in 2022.

An international team of researchers, under the direction of the federal technology institute ETH Zurich, obtained this result by analysing satellite data and associating it with ground measurements. The study was published on Wednesday in the specialised journal Nature.

On a global scale, trees could absorb 328 gigatonnes of CO2 more than they currently do, without any human influence. By way of comparison, 36.8 gigatonnes of CO2 will have been emitted in the world by 2022, according to the International Energy Agency (AIE). ...

Trees > Parking Spots

Good to see cities in America putting in the work to fix the poor decisions of the past! Yes, this is a small step but I think it will have big impacts. Especially because my city never wants to do anything that no American city has done before, even if it's common practice in other parts of the world. Now that Portland has led the way, we might see other cities following suit.

This indirect use of palm oil is often overlooked in the zero-deforestation accounting process, despite its growing use, according to a report by U.S.-based advocacy group Rainforest Action Network (RAN). The report found that palm oil-based animal feed is now the single largest palm oil product category imported by the U.S., accounting for 36% of all palm oil imports into the country by weight.

archived article (Wayback Machine)

archived report from RAN (Wayback Machine)

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/20614826

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Between 2001 and 2023, Honduras lost almost a fifth of its forest cover, according to Global Forest Watch. The biggest driver of deforestation was shifting agriculture (accounting for 74% of tree cover loss), followed by commodity-driven deforestation (25%), wildfires, forestry and urbanization (less than 1%), according to Global Forest Watch data from 2023.

"shifting agriculture" = almost entirely cattle grazing

Editor’s note: Heifer International helped with travel logistics for this reporting but did not have any editorial influence over the story.

The Truth About Regenerative Animal Grazing

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/41960022

Plectranthus barbatus grows to its full height in 1-2 months from a cutting and the cutting itself costs around 50 Kenyan shillings ($0.37).

"The leaves are similar in size to an industrial toilet paper square, making them suitable for use in modern flush toilets or for composting in latrines," says Odhiambo.

They emit a minty, lemony fragrance. Covered in tiny hairs, the leaves have a soft texture.

• The involvement of Munduruku people in illegal mining inside the Munduruku Indigenous Territory made Brazil’s efforts to stop it more complicated, federal officials said.
• Munduruku sources told Mongabay that deception, abandonment by the state and a lack of alternative income sources are what push some Munduruku people to mine.
• The recruitment of Indigenous peoples is an important mechanism used by miners to secure access to lands and gain support against government crackdowns, researchers said.
• Sources said the government should invest in public policies and alternative income projects to strengthen food security, improve health and the sustainable development of communities.

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cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/20588292

• As REDD projects around the world face setbacks, restoration projects in the Amazon are flourishing as a means of reviving market confidence in forest-based carbon credits.
• In Brazil, the golden goose for restoration, this business model has attracted companies from the mining and beef industries, banks, startups, and big tech.
• Federal and state governments are granting public lands to restoration companies to recover degraded areas.
• Restoration projects require substantial investments and long-term commitment, face challenges such as increasingly severe fire seasons, and deal with uncertainty over the future of the carbon market.

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cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/20554167

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...one thousand trucks poured into the national park, offloading over 12,000 metric tons of sticky, mealy, orange compost onto the worn-out plot. The site was left untouched and largely unexamined for over a decade. A sign was placed to ensure future researchers could locate and study it.

16 years later, Janzen dispatched graduate student Timothy Treuer to look for the site where the food waste was dumped.

Treuer initially set out to locate the large placard that marked the plot — and failed.

Compost your fruit scraps! (Or just throw them on the neighbour's pasture land.)

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/20552909

The fruit is edible, but there's not much food on it, so probably not worth planting outside of its native range.

Thorn forest once blanketed the Rio Grande Valley. Restoring even a little of it could help the region cope with the impacts of climate change

Wayback Machine

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/20488683

BR-319: Paving the way for Indigenous displacement and environmental catastrophe.

more about peatlands:

• Only 17% of peatlands, vital to curbing climate change, are protected, study finds
• Protecting peatlands and mangroves could halve Southeast Asia’s land-use emissions
• Peru’s rare peatland swamps at risk as gold mining expands
• Congo Peatlands - the largest and most intact across the world's tropics

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/35583702

Whether the move will boost lumber supplies as Trump envisioned in an executive order last month remains to be seen. Former President Joe Biden’s administration also sought more logging in public forests to combat fires, which are worsening as the world gets hotter, yet U.S. Forest Service timber sales stayed relatively flat under his tenure.

It exempts affected forests from an objection process that allows outside groups, tribes and local governments to challenge logging proposals at the administrative level before they are finalized. It also narrows the number of alternatives federal officials can consider when weighing logging projects.

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Update 2025: https://slrpnk.net/post/20382724

As Mongabay reported, researchers have found 3.5 million km (2.2 million mi) of roads in the nine Brazilian states encompassing the Legal Amazon. They estimated that at least 86% of these roads are used by loggers, gold miners and unauthorized settlers — branching off from official roads. Studies have also found that 95% of deforestation happens within 5.5 km (3.4 mi) of a road and 85% of fires each year occur within 5 km (3.1 mi).

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To be clear, exports of "Brazilian soy and corn" = "feed crops for animal agriculture" in China and Europe.