We Are Losing The World’s Trees & Forests
A study carried out by 500 tree experts and 61 separate institutions around the world is sounding the alert that 17,500 species of trees are at risk of going extinct (1). According to “The State of the World’s Trees,” one in three tree species are headed for extinction due to cutting, global warming, pests and disease (2).
This means that even though we have already lost half of our forest lands in the last 200-300 years, and many trees and plants are struggling to survive, there has been an increase in the cutting of forests and trees.
This must stop!
Plants are the foundation of the majority of ecosystems on the planet and without them, ecosystems will collapse and no longer be able to support other life forms.
Trees/Plants/Forests Do The Following:
Erosion prevention
Flood defense
Water purification
Soil creation
Carbon sequestration
Air temperature control
Air quality regulation
Support of 50-80 percent of all terrestrial life on the planet
Wellkind’s article on tree-cutting best principles was picked up by treehugger.com, one of the top sustainability blogs on the internet. Read it here.
Native trees in California and the West suffer from a veritable soup of hazards including drought, fire, diseases and pests. Yet they are essential to support birds and wildlife and maintain local atmospheric conditions.
You can make a difference by helping to protect and support native trees and wildlifE.
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Help Native Plants and Animals
First: Stop Cutting Native Trees.
Avoid cutting a mature native tree or plant unless absolutely necessary (and never cut trees or do major trimming in the spring, when birds and animals are raising their young). This is because mature older trees and plants tend to support more species, create more oxygen and absorb more carbon.
Second: Your Native Tree may need watering.
There are things you can do in your backyard to help save your native trees and plants in drought conditions, including watering them at least once or several times a year.
First, identify if your native tree needs a helping hand. Is there any yellowing or browning of leaves/needles or dropping of leaves or needles earlier than usual? Are the leaves/needles appearing a paler shade of green than usual? Are tips of branches losing leaves/needles? Do tips of branches break easily or seem excessively dry?
It’s best to water near the end of a dry season; for example, in California, our natural dry season used to run starting in late April or May to mid-October with infrequent rains in between. In drought conditions, the “dry season is extended and there is less rainfall” and native plants that never previously required watering may need it now. The best time to water them is starting in late August or September. Know, large mature trees may need to be watered for two to five hours depending upon their size, with a soaker hose placed in a circle around the trunk in the critical root zone of the tree.
You do not need to water a native tree often. Even just one good watering a year may be all your tree needs to survive in drought-like conditions.
ThIRD - The Land Feeds the Animals, The Animals Feed the Land and soil.
Another helpful way to improve the health and chances of survival for your native trees and plants is to ensure they are surrounded by biodiversity. No living thing survives in a test tube—it depends on other life forms.
Due to significant bird and wildlife declines, forest and wild-land soils are not being “fertilized” by the “droppings” of birds and animals rich in nitrogen, phosphorous and other nutrients.
Can you imagine seeing a single flock of two billion birds? In the 1830s, John James Audubon recorded a flock of passenger pigeons “a mile wide that took three days to pass overhead.” It is estimated that that flock contained two billion birds with 300 million passing overhead at its peak! When these birds rested in forests at night, their droppings enriched the soil. Today, not only are passenger pigeons extinct, but we have lost 30% of our birds across a variety of important species.
Declining birds and wildlife means that the soil is not being enriched by their presence. Thus, providing natural organic fertilizers like organic chicken manure to the critical root zone of the tree can help to provide those missing nutrients.
We recommend organic chicken manure over all other manure types. It’s organic, economical, does not contain chemicals, and has the best mix of nutrients. In California, the best time of year to apply the manure is in the fall, just before or during the rainy season. The rain then allows the manure to be gently absorbed into the ground to reach the tree’s roots over time. However, if your tree looks like it needs help right away, it’s also possible to make a “chicken manure soup” by adding water in a four to one ratio with organic manure and applying it to the critical root zone (3).
(Warning: Do not use store-purchased or box artificial fertilizer as that could shock and kill your native tree.)
Fourth: Give Water to Wildlife.
Last but not least, birds and wildlife are at high risk of mortality and illness during droughts and excessive heat.
Due to water laws, policies, and rights of ownership, fresh available water tends to be primarily reserved for agriculture and industry first, then for residential purposes, and last for wildlife. This means that streams, rivers, ponds and lakes that may have contained enough water for wildlife in the past are now drained for human use leaving birds and wildlife high and dry.
One of the best things you can do to alleviate their suffering is to provide water.
It’s important to provide water out of harm’s way to predators (raised bird baths or bowls are good for birds) and to keep the water clean by refilling daily (if possible) or at least twice a week. (Adding a small amount of food-grade hydrogen peroxide to the water to keep it healthier for consumption may also be helpful.)
If you have a good amount of property, are away from highways, and do not have animals that will attack or be attacked by wildlife, you may also want to consider putting in a small pond or a ground-level watering place for wildlife.
This can be a little more complicated than a raised birdbath or bowl. If you would like further instructions that might work on your specific property, we are here to help.
Sign-Up to learn how to help preserve wildlife.
(1.) The biggest threats to trees globally are forest clearance for crops (impacting 29% of species), logging (27%), clearance for livestock grazing or farming (14%), clearance for development (13%) and fire (13%).
(2.) Botanic Gardens Conservation International: State of the World’s Trees (September 2021): Read More.
(3.) Get your manure from reputable sources and make sure it has no molds.