Afforestation

Afforestation is the process of planting trees in areas where there was no previous tree cover, effectively transforming non-forested land into forests. This practice is an approach in combating climate change, enhancing biodiversity, and restoring ecosystems.

By increasing forest cover, afforestation helps sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thus mitigating global warming and improving air quality.

The methods of afforestation involve selecting suitable tree species that are well-adapted to the local environment, preparing the land for planting, and carefully managing the young forest to ensure its growth and survival.

The benefits of afforestation are multifaceted:

• environmentally, it aids in carbon absorption and soil conservation;
• ecologically, it provides habitats for various wildlife species; and
• economically, it can create jobs in forestry and related sectors while offering resources such as timber and non-timber forest products.

It is important to distinguish afforestation from reforestation. While afforestation refers to creating forests in previously non-forested areas, reforestation involves replanting trees in areas that have been deforested or degraded.