Tree Planting Record Broken In Philippines

Speedy tree planting may be the answer to the world's dwindling forest problem. This past Thursday, over 64,000 trees were planted in 15 minutes, breaking the world record for the most trees planted simultaneously.

The Independent reports that almost 7,000 people helped to plant saplings in the Philippines province of Camrines Sur. The planting was part of a government-backed program aiming to plant 12 million trees in the region's logged forests. Forests in the Philippines are considered to be one of the ten most threatened forests in the world.

Conservation International reports that these threatened forests store over 25 gigatons of carbon. Meanwhile, 15% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions are due to deforestation. In an effort to protect the world's forests, and in turn, protect all citizens of the world, the UN has proclaimed 2011 the International Year of Forests.

Some countries are making positive steps towards reversing the damage of deforestation. According to the BBC, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and India are increasing their forested areas. China has reportedly increased its forests by an unprecedented three million hectares per year.

But many conservationists are concerned that old-growth forests are still disappearing as new forests are deliberately planted. As Conservation International's Olivier Langrand explains, "Forests must be seen as more than just a group of trees."

Comments

[Andyvan]

11:08 PM on 04/27/2011

I also was excited to see this headline and story this morning, but I think we've been had. I could be wrong, and I'm still awaiting responses to some inquiries, but this "world record hoopla" appears to be a whole bunch of "greenwashing". The Philippines is just one of the many countries that is to receive the largess of Monsanto's Genetically Modified Tree program. Here is an article is from the biotech industry, and their comments about the safety of GM tree plantations is erroneous: http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=1811 If you haven't heard of GM trees, watch the movie, "A Silent Forest" with David Suzuki. It's freely available all over the internet. GM trees are NOT environmentally safe BY ANY STANDARDS, and having locals do the planting work for free, for a for-profit corporation, really stinks.
As I said, I could be wrong in my conclusion about this, but I don't think so. It's happening worldwide.

[alvdh1]

04:29 PM on 03/02/2011

Whenever you hear someone use the term treehugger in a negative way, ask them where they get their oxygen. Ask them how the planet cleans its atmosphere. Let them know that forests, in addition, moderate the climate, reduce drought and soil erosion. And then, ask them what in the hell they were thinking by making such a rediculous statement. The world is being populated with simpletons claiming to have an education. The media and corporations have advanced the negative image of treehuggers to their own detriment in the long run for a quick buck. There is always a balance, but the world's forest have been loosing the balance game for centuries starting in Europe. Ultimately, everyone will lose if the unprecedented deforestation of the planet continues at its current rate.

For nearly a century, our American forests have been managed in Gifford Pinchot style who often said that resources are for the benefit of mankinds economic well being. The diverse American forest were replaced with monoculture forests susceptable to a single pest that have often been clearcut as opposed to selective cutting to maintain diversity. In addition, urban sprawl, converting forests to marginal farmland and cattle grazing have wiped out some of our best forests. It is too late to recover some of the tracts of forests, but it is not too late to preserve what we have and to mangage tracts designated for lumber in a more sustainable way.

[AJ in ATL]

09:56 PM on 03/01/2011

At this point it might be an easier question to ask a Republican, "What is Obama NOT wagging a war on?"

[Rebecca Reynolds]

09:12 PM on 03/01/2011

This is fantastic news. This is a problem we all must take up in some serious way to help protect our planet, the other plants and animals that we share it with, as well as the future of the human race. Although the article does not mention it, a massive reforestation effort has been underway in Tamil Nadu, India since 2006 when Project Green Hands -PGH- won a Guinness World Record. In 2010 Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, the founder of Isha and leader of this project won the Indira Gandhi Parayavaran Puraskar Award - this country's highest humanitarian honor. This project has mobilized 1 million people to plant 8.2M trees thus far, with a goal of planting 114M trees to restore 33% of the green cover in this region. What is unique about PGH is that the trees that have been planted are also cared for to ensure that they survive. We should accept the examples of the Philippines and India as challenges and see what we all can do towards these efforts. To contribute to the 100% volunteer-run effort of PGH log on here: http://www.projectgreenhands.org/

[jesternhell]

03:37 PM on 03/01/2011

Guess which president flies his personal trainer to the white house each week.

[jujubees]

02:39 PM on 03/01/2011

Perhaps they can teach something to the Haitians...

[CountryBeforeParty]

10:30 AM on 03/01/2011

Come on now.... can't we hold the record for something like this?

[loki]

03:02 AM on 03/01/2011

Everyone who likes what they did. I ask you to visit your DNR websites and look for their tree planting sections. I dont know if all states do this, but many do. For as little as $5 in some cases, you can get bundles of a 100 saplings of your choice. As long as they are indigenous to your state. So go order a couple hundred, or thousand. Come March when they ship out you will get them in the mail. Usually only a foot tall and not much thicker than a pencil at best but healthy and ready to plant. All you have to do is make a 6" deep slot, drop them in, give them a little tamp down and move to the next one. I cant say where to plant them if you dont own land, besides try to pick spots they dont mow.

Now how great would that be.

[loki]

02:55 AM on 03/01/2011

sure wasn't the USA.

Only thing we plant that fast is Trojan horses and wall street bonuses.

[blessedfrog]

12:47 AM on 03/01/2011

YAY

We should do that.

[brokerthanu]

01:36 AM on 03/01/2011

And in a few years the lumber companies would reap a windfall.

[blessedfrog]

02:49 AM on 03/01/2011

They say that the younger trees do the most air scrubbing..

[European1919]

08:17 AM on 03/02/2011

Valid point.

[Peaceride]

11:01 PM on 02/28/2011

This is WONDERFUL!!

[Genders]

10:35 PM on 02/28/2011

Sorry, their formulas are secret. You have no idea what is in them. Try 3% hydrogen peroxide and some soap or detergent, works great.

[Genders]

10:44 PM on 02/28/2011

sorry, I miss-posted.

This is great!

[PostModernGuy]

08:26 PM on 02/28/2011

Man, these people are in shape! Unless I did my math wrong, each one of them would have had to plant 9.15 saplings, or one every 1.64 minutes!! Okay, they're basically planting twigs, but still!!

Way to go!

[Cory111]

07:12 PM on 02/28/2011

Shucks, I wish it had read, "United States removes 64K in guns from within it's borders.

[climbing panda]

04:36 PM on 02/28/2011

because there are no unions in the Philippines,

[sillyfrog]

06:48 PM on 02/28/2011

Yes they do, look it up.

[brokerthanu]

01:38 AM on 03/01/2011

Right, that's why they have volunteers, 'cause there are no unions.