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Introduction
Deforestation to create land for agriculture is an issue of great importance, it destroys native forests and affects the ecological balance. A greater percentage of global biodiversity is located in forests (Celentano et al. 2017). Cutting down trees hinders the survival of various animal and plant species. The forest habitat also offers services to human beings by providing water towers, clean air, and good agricultural soil.
The effects of deforestation include loss of habitat for animal and forest species due to variations in temperature and increased sunlight levels. Trees take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the atmosphere (Chazdon and Uriarte 2016). The clearing of forests makes it difficult for the flora and fauna to survive as their natural habitat is destroyed. Trees also play a critical role in the water cycle process by balancing atmospheric and land water and maintaining rainfall patterns.
Rapid deforestation results in a decline in the global amount of rainfall. It also alters the weather pattern and increases the global warming effects. Loss of rainfall increases drought as agricultural activities are hampered and water for various use becomes scarce (Celentano et al. 2017). Deforestation is also associated with desertification due to soil degradation and the loss of soil nutrients.
Restoration Method: Afforestation and Reforestation
The restoration of forests takes place through reforestation. This is done by replacing the destroyed trees and planting in places that had no trees. As described by Erbaugh and Oldekop (2018), the forest landscape restoration (FLR) process will be adopted. This technique involves the regeneration of the natural forest, control of soil erosion, and agroforestry, and undertaking sustainable agriculture. The restoration process undertaken integrates the goal of reforestation (Chazdon and Uriarte 2016), which includes maintaining livelihoods, mitigating climate change, and economic growth.
This method of reclamation is appropriate because it restores degraded forests and the native diverse species. The program starts with restoring landscapes and planting trees. The implementation of FLR has been successful in averting deforestation in Maranhao state (Celentano et al. 2017) and in reclaiming Latin Americas grazing field (Calle, 2020). It has also improved livelihood and restored ecological functionality in Myanmars degraded and deforested landscapes (Kaung, 2016). The FLR restoration method is the best because it encompasses reestablishing the biological productivity of a place, which benefits both the people and the planet.
The approach of FLR engages all the stakeholders in affected sectors such as farmers, communities, businesses, residential areas, and conservancy advocates. The program helped the forest to naturally regenerate through the introduction of native trees and various tree plantations.
Principles, Goals, and Objectives
The key principles guiding the process include choosing a suitable landscape, analyzing the drivers of deforestation, engaging stakeholders to discuss the long-term forest restoration goals, and developing a management plan. The restoration process will include a collection of seeds and reproducing in nurseries, tree planting, the establishment of time schedules and financial requirements, monitoring the restored areas, and considering the potential impacts of climate change (Chazdon and Uriarte 2016). The restoration management plans will include preparation of topographic land use and selection of tree species and rehabilitation methods.
Objectives
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To rehabilitate forests.
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To restore the forests ecological function and to reclaim degraded land.
Time Frame
Forest rehabilitation and restoration is a long-term process for ensuring sustainability. The duration of restoring the wooded area varies depending on the selected tree species and financial capacity. It takes between one to five years for the trees to grow to some considerable heights. The total estimated cost of restoring forests is about US$2000 for the period stated. It is advisable to plant small areas of trees with time intervals to avoid the likelihood of failure. The short-term goals will be to prepare the seeds for germination which takes between 1 to 6 months with extensive monitoring. Allocation of time for planting and maintenance after transferring trees from nurseries is as follows: between 1-2 weeks, the quality of seedlings is ascertained, poor seedlings are replaced. The growth and survival rates of the planted and naturally regenerated trees are monitored in the third and fourth month.
Dry seasons are associated with wildfires and, therefore, it is essential to build fire watchtowers and cut firebreaks. The survey is conducted on the tree plantation and replacement of trees that failed to survive after drought. Replanting of trees where trees did not survive is done between 6 and 12 months (Erbaugh and Oldekop 2018). The application of fertilizer. Monitoring of growth continues in the subsequent years.
Addressing the deforestation issue is important for the restoration of degraded forests. This is because it supports livelihoods and enhances the survival of species in the forest ecosystem. The services provided by forests that have been threatened by degradation and deforestation will be reinstated. In addition, problems arising from deforestation such as drought, water scarcity for both flora and fauna will be resolved. Since reforestation is an important process, legal actions should be imposed to minimize deforestation and enhance the natural growth of different tree species.
References
Chazdon, Robin L., and María Uriarte. 2016. Natural regeneration in the context of largescale forest and landscape restoration in the tropics. Biotropica 48 (6): 709-715.
Celentano, Danielle, Guillaume X. Rousseau, Francisca Helena Muniz, István van Deursen Varga, Carlos Martinez, Marcelo Sampaio Carneiro, Magda VC Miranda et al. 2017. Towards zero deforestation and forest restoration in the Amazon region of Maranhão state, Brazil. Land use policy 68: 692-698.
Calle, Alicia. 2020. Partnering with cattle ranchers for forest landscape restoration. Ambio 49, no. 2: 593-604.
Erbaugh, James T., and Johan A. Oldekop. 2018. Forest landscape restoration for livelihoods and well-being. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 32: 76-83.
Kaung, Ba. 2016. Forest restoration at the landscape level in Myanmar. Forest landscape restoration for Asia-Pacific forests 79.
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