Carbon is an element that is stored in fossil fuels such as coal and oil, as well as in wood and living plant life. When these fuels are burned, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere where it acts with other gases to form what is called “greenhouse gas.” The reality of climate change as a result of human activities is now well accepted by the scientific community, worldwide. Subtle, but progressive changes in global climate are predicted to bring about devastating consequences for human kind and the earth we share.

Carbon sequestration is the process of storing excess carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. Once, when the planet had a much larger covering of natural forests, the excess atmospheric carbon was stored there. Therefore, an important method of sequestering and storing carbon is by planting trees, and restoring some of the earth’s forest. Carbon sequestration through reforestation projects is being carried out worldwide to the benefit of global society by combating climate challenge. They also provide additional benefits to the local communities.

Every day that we do nothing or too little, to prevent climate change imposes higher costs on our children — Kofi A. Annan

Forests for Monarchs benefits Global Climate.

• The data collected during our project evaluation in 2009 indicates that trees planted by this Project grow at a very fast rate compared to pine plantations in the U.S. and Canada.
• The average height of 9.5- to 10.5-year old trees ranged from 8.2 m to 12.0 m, with an average diameter at breast height ranging from 12.6 cm to 17.6 cm.
• The project’s trees sequester carbon at an annual rate between 4 to 10 metric tons of carbon per hectare per year. This is very fast.
• Growth rates are expected to climb through about year 20 before beginning to level off.
• The total amount of carbon sequestered, and the annual carbon sequestration rate, is affected very little by the density of trees on the sites.

Sustainable harvests for economic benefits can be carried out without reducing the carbon sequestration value of the remaining stand of trees. This is because when trees are closely spaced, they grow more slowly than trees that are given more space, which benefit from a greater share of available nutrients and moisture, and receive more sunlight.