Trees are not Always Good for the Environment

Trees provide many services to the environment. They stabilize soil, clean the air and provide homes and food for wildlife. But in dry areas planting more trees may not be best idea for land and water management. Trees in dry areas transpire more water than they trap, preventing that water from reaching the underground aquifers and rivers that supply water for human use.

In South Africa, where water management is crucial, the government has taken a hard line with forestry companies to preserve the grasslands, which transpire half as much water as forest lands.

Link: Down with trees from the Economist.com

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 6:00 AM on August 17, 2005

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