The Future of Forests

This week we read about the REDD+ program and the importance of forests in our climate future. How much carbon do our forests actually offset, what can we do to them so they offset more, and what is the monetary or economic value associated with those trees? Good questions. That is one that is continually debated and studied across many disciplines. What is the actual value that the ecosystem provides to human beings? And how does that value compare to our polluting actions. It all comes down to tradeoffs. I have always found it difficult to place a monetary value on such things and special places that have so many benefits to humans and our society. Not only do trees release oxygen and take in carbon, but they make up a vital part of the habitat that animals and wild species call home. Trees are a vital part of the soil composition when they fall and eventually decompose to make up parts of the organic layer of soil. They provide us with wood for furniture products, paper and other disposable items. A large amount of trees in one location also make up a forest. Forests as a whole absorb a tremendous amount of carbon and provide exceptional benefits to those who spend time in them. They relax the body, mind and sprit and one can leave the forest, whether it was a 30 minute walk or a ten day backpacking trip, feeling renewed and refreshed. Why forests? Because my home at St. John's University has a forest of it's own. A forest that truly does all of these things for us, recreation and renewal, wood for our campus to use, habitat for wildlife, a source of carbon intake, and products such as maple syrup. Forests have value, one that is more than just a monetary and economic value. It would so hard to see them be traded for something of exchangeable value.