AdamsGoFixItPost

Ecological Resotoration
=== As we approach 400ppm CO2, there is a growing need to discover ways to cut emissions, and if possible sequester as much carbon as we can to diminish the effects of climate change. There are numerous methods that exist that approach the issue from an engineering perspective. For example; CCS, or Carbon Capture and Storage. The process based on capturing carbon dioxide from large emitters such as fossil fuel plants, and storing it in such a way that it does not enter the atmosphere. It can also be used to describe the scrubbing of CO2 from ambient air as a geoengineering technique. Although CO2 has been injected into geological formations for various purposes, the long term storage of CO2 is a relatively new concept. The first commercial example was Weyburn in 2000. === ===Although this new attempt by engineers is an important one, it represents a drastic underestimation by scientists to indentify nature’s ability to recover and readjust Earth’s atmosphere. If we ignore the problem of deforestation for the moment, and simply look at the effort to sequester carbon, there is very little understanding and effort spent on ecological restoration of forest and wetland ecosystems that have been destroyed by anthropogenic forcing. So I would like to briefly examine two natural carbon sequestration methods known today, that implements forestry practices to sequester carbon naturally. ===

There are major types: Afforestation, and Reforestation.
===Afforestation is the process of planting trees in an area where no trees once stood, and attempts to recreate a forest. One example of this effort isArbor day, where indidividuals across America plant individual trees. === ===This does not solve problem, because as E.O. Wilson argues it does not create an environment, only individual plants. E.O. Wilson insists that we should not plant trees, because you cannot plant the nematodes, the insects, etc… that the trees need to survive.So you don’t create an environment where the trees wll succeed so much effort is being wasted. ===

Reforestation or recovery:
===Reforestation is the act of trying to regrow a stand of forest using sustainable methods and is solely based upon planting thousands of individuals of one species of tree. Recovery based methods often take a long time and are hard to do. This is because forests and other ecosystems such as wetlands, prairies, and marine environments such as coral reefs rely upon many organisms that cannot be planted. ===

===Restoration ecology "is the scientific study and practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human intervention and action, within a short time frame.(1)" Restoration ecology emerged as a separate field in ecology in the 1980s. === ===The [|Society for Ecological Restoration] defines ecological restoration as an "intentional activity that initiates or accelerates the recovery of an ecosystem with respect to its health, integrity and sustainability"(2). === ===The practice of ecological restoration includes wide scope of projects including: erosion control, reforestation, the use of genetically local native species, removal of non-native species and weeds, revegatation of disturbed areas, reintroduction of native species, as well as habitat and range improvement for targeted species. === ===In the view of biologist [|E. O. Wilson], "Here is the means to end the great extinction spasm. The next century will, I believe, be the era of restoration in ecology" ===

===Wetland restoration and marine ecosystem revival are key to managine methane and carbon dioxide emissions, as well the major carbon sink that is below ground biomass. ===

A. Job Creation

 * 1) ===government funding would create thousands of jobs and motivate the unemployed to seek out new opportunities in eco-restoration. ===
 * 2) ===These jobs often require little to no previous experience and can be easily taught and require labor efforts. ===
 * 3) ===<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">So instead of Obama, focusing on industrial infrastructure (Obama’s recovery plan/ stimulus package) focus on ecological infrastructure. ===
 * 4) ===<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Carbon credits, to be redeemed for food ===

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">B. Creation of a carbon based economy.

 * 1) ===<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A carbon based economy creating carbon credits for those that assist nature, would ensure the financial incentive. ===
 * 2) ===<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Instead of creating a market, we could simply create high paying jobs based around kickbacks and tax breaks. ===

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Works Cited
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