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African tropical mountain forests store far more carbon than previously thought – new research

African tropical mountain forests store far more carbon than previously thought – new research

TROPICAL forests are well known for being the “lungs” of our planet. Through photosynthesis, the trees in these forests produce oxygen and remove enormous amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to mitigate global warming. The world’s most famous tropical forests found on lowlands, like those of the Amazon or Borneo, are celebrated for their ability to store carbon. The Amazon rainforest itself holds up to five years’ worth of human carbon emissions in its trees and soil. A tropical mountain forest in Bwindi, Uganda. Author provided While tropical forests can also be found on tropical mountains such as…
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‘Sacred forests’ in West Africa capture carbon and keep soil healthy

‘Sacred forests’ in West Africa capture carbon and keep soil healthy

IN parts of West Africa, patches of forest have been preserved for long periods of time because of their cultural or religious significance. These “sacred forests” are believed to be inhabited and protected by gods, totem animals or ancestors. Local communities have their own rules prohibiting reckless harvesting of timber and game, which have protected the sacred forests over many generations. MICHELE FRANCIS, Researcher, Department of Soil Science, Stellenbosch University The forests cover several hundred square kilometres, and may be the remnants of a once continuous forest along the West African coast. The historically dense forest ecosystem in West Africa…
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Africa’s Great Green Wall aims for fresh growth spurt after sluggish start

Africa’s Great Green Wall aims for fresh growth spurt after sluggish start

THIN LEI WIN GROWING up in a village in Burkina Faso, Georges Bazongo remembers his parents and neighbours cutting down trees each year to expand their farmland so they could "grow enough food for our families to eat". He also noticed some trees becoming drier in the drought-prone region, an indication too that the soil was deteriorating as heavy rains washed away its fertile layer. Some of his relatives moved to Ivory Coast in search of a better life, Bazongo, 48, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. But things started improving a decade ago when the government and environmental groups helped…
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