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Nature’s climate-saving superpower!

05/26/2020

Strategic Area: Biodiversity - Climate -
Content Type: Blog

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The Coolest Miracle: How Trees Fight Climate Change

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To inspire awe of the planet’s extraordinary biodiversity, Nature and Culture is glad to share our series: Strange Miracles of the Rainforest and Beyond.

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Last time we featured nature’s cleanup crews. Check out this month’s remarkable gift from our planet.

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Miracle #4: Climate-Saving Superpower

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Scientists and climate policy experts alike have confirmed that saving and restoring forests are essential to fighting climate change.

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But how exactly does this work?

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Forests have a climate-saving superpower – trees! 

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Trees survive by performing a process called photosynthesis. During this process, they absorb carbon dioxide, a heat-trapping gas in our atmosphere. Trees convert carbon dioxide into the oxygen we all need to live. Additionally, the carbon from carbon dioxide becomes part of the tree and is stored as wood.

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One tree can absorb an average of about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air in one year.

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While all forests have a climate-saving superpower, trees in tropical forests trap larger amounts of carbon dioxide and evaporate more water. In doing so, they produce a thick cloud cover that reflects sunlight back to space, keeping our planet cool.

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Tropical forests alone could account for as much as 30% of the solution to climate change!

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When a tree is protected, its carbon is safely stored for centuries.

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When a tree is cut down, not only is it no longer absorbing additional carbon dioxide from the air, but all the carbon that was stored in the tree is released into the atmosphere.

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With the help of people who care about our climate, Nature and Culture focuses on creating and protecting reserves that contain enormous quantities of carbon. By protecting forests, we prevent the release of millions of tons of carbon into the atmosphere.

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To date, Nature and Culture has protected 21 million acres of extraordinary ecosystems in Latin America, storing an estimated 3.3 billion tons of carbon.

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With your support, we can store even more!

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The variety of life on the planet is our greatest treasure. Yet one million of the estimated eight million plant and animal species on Earth are at risk of extinction. Nature and Culture hopes that by sharing these Strange Miracles you’ll be filled with wonder and gratitude for each species that enriches the planet. Stay tuned for next month’s feature!

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