1No one can underestimate the importance of the world’s forests
Undeniably, the forest is a major source for humans’ essentials to survive. From the air we breathe, the water we drink to the food we eat. Moreover, the forest gives shelter to animals and protect people from climate change. Indeed, it has so many other critical usages to mankind and living things that should not be disregarded. Now, imagine if the forests are lost and the thick green haven goes barren. How would humans survive?
The thought of complete forest destruction is scary enough. But this does not mean that there is nothing that humans can do to save the destructed forest and maintain the surviving trees. In times of an immense environmental slaughter, there is still hope in humanity to conserve and renew the natural environment.
So, read on to see how amazing the ecological project of a photographer and his wife is, after the devastating deforestation in Brazil many years ago. The couple led the restoration of 2 million trees and even the animals have returned. It took 20 years for the project to be done and the results were all worth it for many generations.
The Ambitious Project Took 20 Years of Work and Dedication
In the 1990s, Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado came back to his wife in their hometown in native Brazil. He returned home after covering the physically and emotionally exhausting documentary of the Rwandan genocide. Salgado’s hometown used to be rich in natural reserves. For one, the forest near in their area was once a flourishing tropical rainforest. To his dismay, the forest’s old splendor was gone during his return. The area became barren and the wildlife extinguished – some were dead, others have moved to other places for survival.
Thinking of means to help out the ecosystem, Sebastião and his wife Lélia Deluiz Wanick decided to do an ambitious project together. The couple planned of bringing back to life the barren former haven of greeneries. Their efforts started out by planting more trees with the help of the people in their community.
“Perhaps we have a solution,” Salgado said.
“There is a single being that can transform CO2 into oxygen, which is the tree. We need to start tree planting on a massive scale. You need forest with native trees, and you need to gather the seeds in the same region you plant them or the serpents, and the termites won’t come. And if you plant forests that don’t belong, the animal population won’t grow, and the forest will be silent,” he explained.
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