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Reforestation Nature’s Benefits REFORESTATION I ORNIA WHAT IS REFORESTATION? openings, as seedlings can be planted wherever suitable planting spost exist. • Reforestation is the growing and nurturing of trees so as to maintain healthy, resilient • Trees produce seed which can also forests capable of delivering values, known contribute to the development of new as “Nature’s Benefits.” forests. • These values are the things that people ○ Unfortunately, seed is not produced see, feel, hear and rely on in their daily lives in predictable ways and—unless it and include: clean air and water, carbon is available soon after a landscape sequestration, habitat for native fish and disturbance—germination and rapid wildlife, forest products, aesthetic benefits, growth is much less likely occur. outdoor recreation, jobs, and more. KING FIRE—AN EXAMPLE • When we restore our Nation’s forests, we • In 2014, the King Fire burned 64,000 acres create jobs and benefit the environment at on the Eldorado National Forest. Half of the same time.1 these acres burned with Why is it important to reforest an intensity California National Forests after a that killed all harvest or severe wildfire? of the trees. • Today, climate change, high severity • Where fire wildfire, bark beetle infestation, invasive created species, record droughts, and other large forest stressors threaten the health of our forest openings, and watersheds, and the health and seeds from livelihoods of people that rely on them. surviving mature trees • Re-establishing new forests by planting were unable ensures that sufficient numbers of desired to reach the tree species are available to meet future center of needs. these openings, and therefore planted ○ Planting is especially valuable when seedlings offered the only chance of disturbances have created large prompt reestablishment of forest cover.2 1 https://www.fs.fed.us/restoration/reforestation/index.shtml 2 https://www.americanforests.org/magazine/article/place-based-partnerships-american-forests-and-intel-commit-to-king-fire-restoration/ 12/15/2020 | 1 Nature’s Benefits REFORESTATION In CALIFORNIA (continued) • Larger and more severe How much is reforested on wildfires are now the main cause of forest California’s National Forests? cover loss in the Western ON AVERAGE ABOUT ACRES United States. 11,000 ARE PLANTED ANNUALLY. ○ They are responsible for ○ That’s about 2.4 million 80% of all the national forest lands that seedlings planted. need reforestation. • Prompt reforestation after a harvest or ○ The $154 per acre invested in severe wildfire ensures reforestation supports 30 jobs, likewise Californians continue increasing reforestation to to receive vital, life- ACRES supporting Nature’s 100,000 Benefits they rely on from would create approximately our National Forests. • Reforestation allows for the 290 accelerated development of: JOBS ○ forest structure, ○ desired species composition, AND • A forest canopy that provides: ○ wildlife habitat What are the Nature’s Benefits ○ clean and abundant water from California National Forests ○ carbon sequestration reforestation efforts? ○ forest wood products for consumers CLIMATE CHANGE AND CARBON ○ forested recreation opportunities, and • Forests naturally remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the ○ maintenance of soil creation through soil atmosphere. erosion reduction. 1 This means • Re-establishing and retaining resilience of ○ that healthy our National Forests to achieve sustainable forests are a management provides multiple Nature’s powerful tool Benefits to: for mitigating ○ households and communities and adapting to ○ industries, and climate change. ○ agriculture 1 https://www.fs.fed.us/forestmanagement/vegetation-management/refor- estation/index.shtml 12/15/2020 | 2 Nature’s Benefits REFORESTATION In CALIFORNIA (continued) • As trees grow, they store carbon in CLEAN AIR their branches, trunks, and roots and—if Trees can help reduce the amount of CO2 managed sustainably—will continue to in the air and may assist in reducing global store carbon for a long time.1 warming. • High severity fire areas can delay natural • In fact, trees “trap” small atmospheric regeneration by many decades and convert particles of all sorts on their leaves, landscapes to non-forest areas with climate branches, and stems and thereby help change and fire, making managed efforts to cleanse the air, reducing heat (through replant, a carbon positive endeavor. tree shade and evapotranspiration), and The example below illustrates the absorbing such pollutants as carbon accumulation of carbon over time in a mixed monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen conifer forest of average productivity.2 dioxide. WATER Replanting trees restores a forest’s ability to protect our headwaters, and in California, that’s over 50% of California’s water supply. • Forests can offer protective cover for erosion-prone soil, both by shielding it from the impact of raindrops that move • Note the increase in carbon storage as soil particles, and by intercepting rain trees get older and larger (graph above). As and snow before it infiltrates into the soil an example: downstream. ○ Depending on the species of tree, a ○ This is especially valuable on steep single tree can absorb as much as 48 lbs slopes, where on unprotected soil, (21.77 kgs) of CO2 per year, assuming sediment can be moved relatively little disturbance and the downslope into streams and likelihood of change in trend, up or rivers and, in some cases, to down. downstream reservoirs. ○ California National Forests sequester 2.7 • Additionally, winter’s snowfall, Million Metric Tons annually.3 partially hidden under the 1https://www.nationalforests.org/get-involved/tree-planting-programs/ forest canopy, slows melting climate 2R5 Silviculturist/2020 Forest Vegetation Simulator https://www.fs.fed.us/ and sustains stream flows later into the fvs/index.shtml. summer. 3 https://bofdata.fire.ca.gov/projects-and-programs/ab- 1504 12/15/2020 | 3 Nature’s Benefits REFORESTATION In CALIFORNIA (continued) • A healthy and resilient forest able to • As a result of the 254,654 acres withstand severe fire can naturally reduce water pollutants—in the form of soil and burned in the 2013 Rim Fire, over ash—that would otherwise contribute to the filling of reservoirs reducing water $200 MILLION clarity, and adversely affecting plant and was lost in tourism and animal habitats. recreation economic benefits.3 FOREST PRODUCTS In 50 years, one acre of planted mixed • Promoting the growth of tree stands by conifer forest provides approximately replanting sooner rather than later can more quickly restore recreation to full BOARD FEET levels and meet the forest and the public’s 7,000 more near-term needs. of lumber and reserves about ○ This is especially important in the face of climate change and other factors , to continue to 30,000 board feet negatively impacting future seed grow at a more favorable tree density and availability and favorable growing with a reduced level of hazardous fuel.1 locations. RECREATION What can you do to assist? Tree cover offers The scale and severity of current day recreation opportunities RECREATION AREA wildfires often leads to devastating impacts such as hiking, camping, to forest resources and a variety of post-fire skiing, nature viewing, and recovery needs resulting in sharp increases in hunting. reforestation needs on many of our national • Tree planting provides forests. significant value to those California’s National Forests are everyone’s forest visitors seeking to engage in specific Forests to enjoy and protect. As citizens, you activities and provides an economic boost can show your love of trees by: to local and state recreation industries, including jobs. 1. recreating with a light footprint, • It also improves the visual quality of 2. being good citizen stewards a forest, making it a place to practice cultural traditions, engage in family 3. sharing with people how the Nature’s bonding, and practice restorative health Benefits you enjoy from trees on National through “forest bathing”.2 Forest System lands make your life better 1 R5 Silviculturist/2020 Forest Vegetation Simulator, https://www.fs.fed.us/ on a daily basis, and fvs/index.shtml 3 2 https://inba.info/earth-economics-rim-fire-re- https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12199-008-0068-3.pdf port-11272013_57703663b6d87f28318b4e65.html https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/8/864/htm 12/15/2020 | 4 4. volunteering to plant trees on a National Forest near your community. While the U.S. Forest Service collects seeds and plant seedlings, our partners help us further our reforestation efforts through various annual tree planting programs they run and make available to the public: 1. National Forest Foundation (NFF) 2. National Wildlife and Fish Foundation works (NFWF) 3. American Forests 4. Penny Pines Plantation 5. Arbor Day Foundation 6. One Tree Planted CREDITS Lato font from http://www.latofonts.com/lato-free-fonts/ Kingthings Organica 2 font (green title on banners) courtesy of Kevin King; www.kingthingsfonts.co.uk 12/15/2020 | 5.
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