One of the greatest human endeavors is underway right now in Africa - to intentionally grow the largest living structure on the planet. The goal is to reforest 1 million square kilometers covering an entire one percent of all arable land on the planet. It is the largest reforestation project ever undertaken and until recently I’d not appreciated the brilliance of the plan. This colossal regreening project is called The Great Green Wall and it aims to create a belt of vegetation just south of the Sahara - in the Sahel - a semi-arid scrubland / grassland with the occassional tree. The Great Green wall will stretch all the way across Africa, measuring 8000 km from east to west and averaging 125 kilometers north to south. Originally planned as a great tree planting exercise to combat the ongoing expansion of the Sahara, the Great Green Wall (GGW) has morphed into a visionary project bringing African nations together to combat climate change, provide jobs, build infrastructure, reduce drought and famine, stem migration, and reduce conflict and the development of extremism. It has all the ingredients of success, building on decades of local action and local know how, informed by ongoing peer reviewed research - which includes the recognition that the project must work with and for the local people. While the project is plagued by some pretty hefty obstacles like underfunding, missing planting targets, and even questions about its overall longterm feasibility, there have already been impressive accomplishments.
Very interesting article—thanks! One typo: I think you meant 120 *thousand* years ago, for humans leaving Africa. 120 million years ago Africa was full of dinosaurs—to the extent that it existed at all; I think it was still part of Gondwana at that point.
Indeed! Many thanks Dominic. A quick perusal of the Wikipedia page on Gondwana shows that 120 million years ago Gondwana was in the process of splitting apart.
It feels great to hear some good news like this.
Inspiring news Pru. Thanks for sharing it.
Always glad to hear you enjoyed it Ann. :^)
Very interesting article—thanks! One typo: I think you meant 120 *thousand* years ago, for humans leaving Africa. 120 million years ago Africa was full of dinosaurs—to the extent that it existed at all; I think it was still part of Gondwana at that point.
Indeed! Many thanks Dominic. A quick perusal of the Wikipedia page on Gondwana shows that 120 million years ago Gondwana was in the process of splitting apart.