Afforestation, as a human activity, is the deliberate establishment of forest stands on lands that have not recently been forested, typically through planned site preparation, selection of tree species, and controlled planting or seeding. It is implemented for purposes such as carbon sequestration, soil stabilization, hydrological regulation, timber production, and biodiversity enhancement within managed landscapes. Afforestation projects are characterized by anthropogenic decision-making regarding stand composition, spatial configuration, and silvicultural regimes, often embedded in policy frameworks for climate mitigation, land-use change management, or ecosystem restoration. This activity is distinct from natural succession and reforestation, which target previously forested areas that have been disturbed or cleared.
Global efforts to limit climate change require deep cuts to carbon emissions. However, global emissions are still growing. Currently, we emit roughly 42 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel use and land ...
Environment
Apr 7, 2026
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As the war in the Middle East is currently reminding us once again, many countries around the world are heavily reliant on oil and gas. Lax climate policy and limited options for removing CO₂ from the atmosphere could cement ...
Environment
Mar 26, 2026
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In the fight against the climate crisis, countries are pinning great hope in reforestation projects. In a new study, ETH Zurich researchers show that the location in which reforestation is taking place is usually more important ...
Environment
Mar 16, 2026
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An international research team used multiple global agroeconomic models and found that climate mitigation consistent with the 1.5 °C target could raise global hunger risk in 2050 by 17% (56 million people) compared with a ...
Environment
Mar 16, 2026
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A number of native black poplar whips—young unbranched trees—were planted at the campus near Southwell as part of a project involving NTU, the Environment Agency, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Trent Rivers Trust, Nottinghamshire ...
Ecology
Mar 4, 2026
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Native forest restoration usually starts with faster growing "nurse plants" that provide shelter under which to plant bigger trees—but new research suggests some big canopy trees can be planted early too. Scientists monitored ...
Ecology
Mar 3, 2026
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For over 20 million years, the landscape of Europe has been a tree-rich mosaic of grasslands, scrubs and more or less open woodlands with an abundance of wildflowers. This is the conclusion of a new and comprehensive study ...
Ecology
Mar 2, 2026
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Beginning two summers ago in a building lacking reliable power and internet, dozens of teenagers in Bo City, Sierra Leone watched videos about climate science, then discussed opportunities to build resilience in one of the ...
Environment
Feb 16, 2026
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Urban landscapes could be cooled by up to 3.5 degrees using a QUT-developed AI-based tool that optimizes where trees and which species are planted to make cities cooler, greener and more resilient in the face of climate change.
Environment
Feb 16, 2026
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Deep soils found in forests may be less effective at storing carbon in the long term than previously assumed, potentially reducing the net climate benefits of tree planting, a University of Stirling professor has warned. ...
Ecology
Feb 10, 2026
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