Plant Trees to Help Counter Deforestation: How we can help

Plant Trees to Help Counter Deforestation: How we can help

Deforestation is a global issue. The world’s tree population continues to decrease at an alarming rate. 

According to the United Nations, approximately 18 million acres (or 7.3 million hectares) of forest are destroyed each year. This rapid tree destruction doesn’t only affect the local ecosystems, it can impact the long-term existence of living species of all kinds, including mankind. 

Trees play a special and critical role in our global ecosystem, providing oxygen, cleaning our air, filtering our groundwater, preventing soil erosion, providing us with many important medicines, serving as a habitat and food source for tens of thousands of animals, among many other benefits.

The good news is that The Living Urn® tree burial system is responsible for tens of thousands of tree plantings worldwide, with many families sharing beautiful stories about their planting with this unique patented tree urn or biotree urn. 

 

What is Deforestation? 

Deforestation is defined as the conversion of forested areas to non-forest land. Deforestation can be both man-made and natural. 

 

Interesting Facts about Forests and Deforestation:

  • Forests cover approximately 30% of the land on earth
  • Every second, 1.5 acres of forest is cut down (20 football fields of forest every minute)
  • According to the United Nations, half of our tropical forests have already been cleared by humans
  • If the current rate of deforestation continues, the rainforests will no longer exist in 100 years
  • The leading cause of deforestation is clearing for agriculture (prevalent in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia with over 13 million hectare per year being converted)
  • 6 billion people throughout the world depend on paper products
  • Nearly half of the world’s wood and approximately 70% of paper is consumed by the populations in the U.S., Japan, and Europe
  • According to the Rainforest Action Network, even though the U.S. accounts for less than 5% the world’s population, it consumes over 30% of all paper goods produced
  • An average American uses about 750 pounds of paper each year, and 95% of homes are built using wood. That means one person uses the equivalent of a 100-foot tall, 16 inch diameter tree each year for their wood product and paper needs
  • If deforestation continues at current rates, up to 28,000 of the world’s species will become extinct by the end of the next quarter of the century
  • Floods, extinction of wildlife, soil erosion, and climate imbalance are just a few of the negative effects of deforestation
  • Deforestation impacts the water cycle - trees absorb groundwater and release it into the air during transpiration. Less trees means the water table is affected and the climate could become drier

The Living Urn UK Plant Trees to Help Counter Deforestation

How can you help counter deforestation?

There are lots of ways that you can help to fight deforestation and make a difference on a global scale. 

One of the best things that you can do is plant more trees. Whether that’s in your garden, within your local community, or anywhere else it doesn’t matter - all that matters is that you are planting more trees. 

Even a tree burial helps to counter deforestation. A tree burial allows you to honour a loved one with a living memorial, while also helping to counter deforestation.