Treelympics Flyer, October 2014

WE PLANT TREES

SPONSORS The ENO Treelympics Tree planting action in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a collaboration between The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, The Ministry of Education and Richmond Vale Academy. This initiative is supported by the The OECS RRACC Campaign with USAID and Scotia Bank funds.

deforestation Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses. An estimated 18 million acres of forest — roughly the size of Panama — are lost each year.

About half of the world's tropical forests have been cleared. Forests currently cover about 30 percent of the world’s land. Forest loss contributes between 12 percent and 17 percent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. Be Climate Conscious and join us in planting trees all around St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

† ENO TREELYMPICS ¢ What is the ENO Treelympics?

BE CLIMATE CONSCIOUS RALLY! RE-THINK! RESPOND!

RICHMOND VALE ACADEMY CHATEAUBELAIR WWW.RICHMONDVALE.ORG PHONE: 458 2255

Environment Online (ENO) is a global virtual school and network for sustainable development. Since the launch in 2000, schools in 157 countries have joined ENO in concrete environmental actions like tree planting.

WHY PLANT TREES? Planting Trees for oxygen Pollution of the air with CO2 emissions is endangering the life on our planet. One way to take action against the changing climate it is to plant a tree.

Depending on the location and size of its trees, one hectare of forest can absorb approximately six tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. In addition to climate change mitigation, trees offer myriad rewards.

Planting Trees for Water More than two billion people rely on forests to protect their water. In places where tree roots bind the soil and the leaves of the trees break strong rain into gentle showers, rain finds it way through the soil into the underground and that water goes into our streams and rivers. Without protection of the leaves of the trees, strong rains can wash away settlements and farms.

Planting Trees for the soil

climate ready with trees Planting Trees is an absolutely necessary action in conserving this planet. Industrial and technological development, hand in hand with massive population growth, has put a lot of pressure on the planet Earth. CO2 emissions are destroying the atmosphere. Trees play an important role in our life by transforming carbon dioxide into oxygen and therefore planting a tree means planting life.

The Trees are to the planet what lungs are to our body.

The removal of trees from the landscape can have serious and dangerous effects in terms of making such areas more weak for landslides.

Erosion control most frequently involves the planting of trees, shrub or grass species. The roots of the vegetation bind the soil and prevent erosion.

Planting Trees for BIODIVERSITY Up to 90% of all land animals live in association with forest habitats. In simple terms, the less trees the less viable homes for many species. This will ultimately lead to species extinction, first locally and in many cases globally. Through the restoration of native forest you are providing new or improved habitat for a number of animal species that rely on forests for food and shelter.

The animal diversity not only improves in areas that have undergone restoration; plant life equally benefits. Once a framework of tree species is established nature takes over and many additional plant and tree species will regenerate naturally through actions such as seed dispersal facilitated by the increased presence of birds and mammals.