Reforestation efforts have already begun in the Republic of the Philippines and for the rainforests in and around the Democratic Republic of the Congo. OPISAC has actively engaged in negotiations with both Private and Public Sector interests that have expressed a desire to expand the OPISAC programs.
This expansion however, is subject to the successful introduction of programs within the Philippines. To date, three grants have been approved, but the team in place remains lacking. Unfortunately, people both domestically and internationally seem more obsessed with building, owning, and controlling programs rather than building local programs built by OPISAC but granted to local communities.
Current objections notwithstanding, the reasoning remains quite sound. OPISAC can utilize grant funding to build localized operations, capable of ensuring their own economic, environmental, and social stability.
With the local communities operating these locations, OPISAC need not become involved in the local partisan and political issues. Instead, OPISAC can focus on commercial operations to fund the growth and expansion of environmental, economic, and social programs for the benefit of the people involved.
The central focus of OPISAC thus remains on clean energy solutions, clean water and water security, and the reforestation of the global rainforests.
The Importance of Global Rainforests
Rainforests cover only a small part of the surface of the earth. However, they play a very big role in keeping the planet healthy.
Rainforests provide many important things for people and for nature. The rainforests give food and wood. In terms of environmental tourism, the rainforests also give places for people to enjoy and learn.
Many people find spiritual value in these forests.
Rainforests help control floods and stop soil from washing away. They clean water and keep rivers healthy. Rainforests are home to many animals and plants.
Some scientists estimate that about two-thirds of all living things on land live in rainforests.
Rainforests help the Earth breathe. The trees take in carbon dioxide from the air and give out oxygen. People and animals need this oxygen to live. When trees grow, they store carbon in their wood and leaves. This helps slow down climate change. If people cut down the trees, the stored carbon goes back into the air. This makes the Earth warmer and changes the climate.
Rainforests also help make rain. The trees take water from the ground and let it out into the air. This water forms clouds and then falls as rain. This rain helps plants grow, both in the forest and in other places. If people destroy the rainforests, there will be less rain. This can cause dry weather and droughts in other areas.
Reforestation Programs in the Philippines
The Philippines has started a host of reforestation programs. People in the Philippines plant many trees to bring back forests. These programs use native tree species but have also focused many efforts on the Paulownia trees.
Local communities and Indigenous groups help choose the best places and trees to plant. Their knowledge and care help the trees survive. Some projects have seen survival rates of eighty to ninety percent for new trees. Although, these efforts have not come without a cost.
The prolific growth rate of the Paulownia tree, and unmanaged reforestation efforts have also led to the destruction of many natural ecological systems. It should be noted that this problem is not relegated to the Philippines, but is global in nature.
Strict environmental policies in portions of the US have resulted in disastrous wildfires. The 1988 Great Yellowstone Fire was only one example. Policies restricting the removal of deadwood and brush allowed flammable fuel to continually increase. What started as a small fire resulted in the destruction of over 1.2 million acres of almost half a million hectares of woodlands.
These programs should teach people how to take care of the land. They show that working together makes reforestation stronger and more lasting. However, they must also serve as lessons learned for future reforestation efforts, especially in the global rainforests.
Rainforests and Programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
A new project is ready in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This project is called the Mai Ndombe Emission Reductions Program. The World Bank has already released $19.47 million in early payments under a performance-based model aimed at reducing carbon emissions. The ultimate goal is to secure up to $55 million by achieving verified emission reductions.
The program will work in a large area of local rainforests. The goal is to protect the forest and help local people. The program wants to stop deforestation and plant new trees. It will also help people in the area by building schools and health clinics. The program teaches better farming methods. This helps people grow food without cutting down more trees. In short, they are following the examples set by OPISAC programs.
The Mai Ndombe project will serve to lower the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. It will also protect many plants and animals that live in the forest. The project uses ideas that worked in the Philippines. It involves local people and gives them tools and knowledge. This helps the forest and the people at the same time.
Multinational Congo Rainforest Basin
The Congo Rainforest Basin spans across six Central African countries. While the broader “Congo Basin” might extend into small parts of other countries like Angola, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia, the vast majority and the core of the Congo Rainforest itself are contained within these six Central African nations.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo or DRC contains the largest portion of the basin. Portions of the Congo Rainforest basin extend further into the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo alone holds approximately 60 percent of the Congo Basin rainforests. The basin covers an area of about 1.7 million square kilometers and plays a critical role in global carbon storage, biodiversity conservation, and climate regulation.
The Tri-National Borneo Rainforest Basin
The Borneo Rainforest Basin spans across three countries in Southeast Asia. These countries share the island of Borneo and encompass portions of one of the oldest and most biodiverse rainforests on Earth.
The largest is Indonesia. The Indonesian portion is called Kalimantan and makes up about 73 percent of the island. Then there is Malaysia, which includes the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern part of the island. Finally there is Brunei Darussalam, a small independent nation located on the northern coast.
The Borneo Rainforest is estimated to be over 140 million years old. It is a critical habitat for thousands of plant and animal species, including many that are endangered or endemic, such as the Bornean orangutan, the proboscis monkey, and the Borneo pygmy elephant. The rainforest also plays an essential role in regional water cycles, climate regulation, and the livelihoods of Indigenous peoples and rural communities.
The Amazon Rainforest Basin
The Amazon Rainforest Basin spans across nine South American countries. These countries share portions of the Amazon Basin, which covers approximately 6.7 million square kilometers and includes the largest tropical rainforest in the world.
Brazil contains about 60 percent of the Amazon Rainforest, making it the largest share among all nations. Peru has the second-largest portion of the basin, mostly in the Amazonian lowlands of eastern Peru. Colombia includes parts of the southern Amazon region.
Venezuela covers some of the northwestern edges of the basin. Ecuador encompasses the eastern rainforest areas within the Amazon Basin. Bolivia includes the northern lowland rainforest regions. Guyana shares the northeastern portion of the basin.
Suriname contains rainforest areas connected to the Amazon ecosystem. And finally, French Guiana, although a French overseas department, also forms part of the Amazon Rainforest Basin
These countries together form one of the most ecologically important regions on Earth. The Amazon Basin supports over 10 percent of known species globally, regulates atmospheric carbon dioxide, and plays a vital role in maintaining regional and global climate stability.
Rainforests in Review
Rainforests are very important for the Earth. They give many benefits to people and nature. They help control the climate, make rain, and give homes to many living things. Reforestation projects in the Philippines show that it is possible to bring back forests with the help of local communities. The new project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will use similar ideas. By protecting and restoring rainforests, people help the planet and each other.