making your car carbon neutral
The tropical trees planted by Planeta Verde Reforestación S.A. are chosen for a variety of reasons, but all of them share one common feature – they grow rapidly.
Scientists have confirmed that tropical trees
are most effective at removing carbon dioxide
(CO2) from the atmosphere during the first 10
years of
their life.
Tropical tree species are generally those that grow between the
Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S).
However, the closer one gets to the equator, the more effective
tropical trees become at removing atmospheric carbon.
Our
tropical tree planting program occurs in areas that are
between
6° N and 13° N latitude.
The tropical trees planted by Planeta Verde Reforestación S.A.
are chosen for a variety of reasons, but all of them share one
common feature – they grow rapidly. Scientists have confirmed
that tropical trees are most effective at removing carbon dioxide
(CO2) from the atmosphere during the first 10 years of their life,
after which their effectiveness declines. Over 50% of the woody
biomass of most tropical hardwood trees consists of sequestered
carbon. The tropical trees we plant reach maturity within 10 to
12 years, depending on the species.
Frequently, land that has been deforested in the past and turned
into subsistence farm or grazing land has seen most nutrients
leached from the soil. This in turn means that subsistence farms
and ranches become marginal at best. In order to allow the soil
in such areas to recover naturally, we plant trees like Acacia
mangium, renowned for their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil.
Eucalyptus pellita and Pinus caribaea or Piño caribe in Spanish
are other trees that will grow rapidly in marginal soil.
Some native species are very good as well. Caraipa llanorum or
Saladillo in Spanish is flood resistant, and therefore an excellent
choice for planting in low-lying areas. There are a large number
of other native trees that are important to local eco-systems,
which we will also be planting. It is important to emphasize that
our approach is one of a multi-species or mixed culture
reforestation. We believe that monoculture tree planting is bad
for the soil and bad for wildlife.
Perhaps the greatest satisfaction comes from the planting of
tropical fruit trees, such as cashews, almonds, mangoes,
avocados,
tamarinds and guavas, all of which provide food to
wildlife and
birds. A big part of our commitment is to plant fruit
trees between
the other trees. This in turn attracts wildlife and
birds, many of
which are presently on the endangered wildlife list.
Tropical trees account for 95% of the planet’s tree-based carbon
sequestration from the atmosphere. Woodlands North and South
of the two Tropics account for only 5% of the tree-based carbon
removal from the atmosphere. Tropical hardwoods are very
effective at sequestering CO2, not just in their woody biomass,
but also in the soil through their root systems and deadfall.
In addition, the canopy effect of tropical trees cools the Earth by
0.7° Celsius, whereas boreal forests retain heat and in fact warm
the planet by 0.8° Celsius, contributing to global warming.
