{"id":12599,"date":"2019-04-23T16:54:07","date_gmt":"2019-04-23T20:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=12599"},"modified":"2019-04-24T09:30:20","modified_gmt":"2019-04-24T13:30:20","slug":"natures-way-of-fighting-climate-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/natures-way-of-fighting-climate-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Nature\u2019s Way of Fighting Climate Change"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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We are now living in a world where scientists are telling us that urgent<\/em> and unprecedented<\/em> changes are needed if we are to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. Global average temperatures today are 1\u00b0C warmer than pre-industrial levels, and we are in the fight of our lives to avoid surpassing 1.5\u00b0C in the coming decades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often times, people ask \u201cwhere is the technology that will\nsave us?\u201d When will scientists figure out how to build a magic vacuum that sucks\nall the excess carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and help us continue living\nour lives as we do right now? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of waiting for technology and innovation to save us, we need to look at one of the most historically significant, but underrepresented solutions to climate change: trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Trees? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Trees are vital to life on our planet for many reasons. They give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilize the soil, and provide habitat for our wildlife. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to climate change, trees not only help us by\nabsorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) and other pollutant particulates, they also help\nus build resiliency to the increasing impacts of climate change such as increased\nprecipitation, increased temperature, and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maintaining the Massachusetts Tree Canopy <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to a 2017 Harvard study<\/a>, more than half of Massachusetts is covered by forest, but the state loses about 7,000 acres of forest each year to development<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our forests and lands offset about 15 percent of the carbon\nemissions that we emit each year. Carbon storage is just one of the many\nbenefits provided by the world\u2019s forests. With the right management practices,\nforests filter air and water and provide a home for a diverse range of species.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to our large forested areas, Massachusetts also benefits from the Greening the Gateway Cities Tree Planting Program<\/a>, which aims to increase the urban tree canopy 5-10% in select neighborhoods of former industrial cities. Thus far this program has planted over 8,000 trees across 13 Gateway Cities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trees vs Climate Change <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Trees fight climate change in many ways, from the small\nscale (home & community) to the big scale (national parks and other\nconserved land). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Your Home\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n