HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0494.034 2018-2020 pi Cflunlc_.
WIL4114. 4-14
Murashige, Laura
From: Tane Datta <adaptbotanics@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2019 6:35 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Resolution 322-19
Attachments: Climate Change and Tree Planting.docx; ATT00001.htm
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1 Ref. Dote OCT 1 6 2019
Climate Change and Tree Planting
By Tane Datta
According to Science News article published July 17, 2019 by Susan Milius,
planting trees on.9 billion hectacres could trap 2/3rds of the carbon released since
the start of the Industrial Revolution. This is a simple elegant response to climate
change, though it is daunting in scale.
There are several examples of countries and organizations working on this.
Ethiopians planted 353 million trees in 12 hours as part of a green legacy initiative.
The goal is to plant 4 billion trees over this summer. These are not just any trees but
native trees adapted to the climate that will provide food, forage and other benefits
to society.Another group the Trillion Tree Campaign is working on a global
campaign that has so far planted 13.6 billion trees.
This is an example of how to think globally and act locally. Hawaii County can
go more than pass resolutions on climate change it can support and fund planting
trees. The county can partner with groups such as Mauna Kea Forestry Project and
Napu'u Conservation Project which are already planting native species. It can offer
tax incentives for ranchers to install windbreaks,work with the state to plant
mangroves and other trees on the shoreline that will not only help with carbon but
also provide alternative breeding places for fish that are having their coral habitat
bleached.All this is just a fraction of the tree planting projects that could be
supported. Tree planting supports native species, modifies the effects of severe
weather, can provide food and support economic development as well as be part of
a global effort to respond to climate change.
I strongly support the adoption of County of Hawaii resolution 322-19 and look at it
as a first step in responding at a county level to climate change and the current coral
bleaching which is rapidly advancing in Kona this month.
Below are links to groups mentioned in this letter
https://www.science20.com/robert walker/ethiopians plant 353 million trees in
twelve hours world record aim of 40 trees each to total 4 billion this
https://www.trilliontreecampaign.org/
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/planting-trees-could-buy-more-time-fight-
climate-change-thought
http://www.conservationconnections.org/program/napuu-conservation-project