Greta Thunberg’s recent video explained the magical works of the trees’ power to help heal the planet. Starboard has been assessing the Carbon Dioxide emissions of the business since 2017 and from this have planted 500,000 trees to date.
The trees are planted in the Thor Heyerdahl Climate Park in Myanmar. Starboard works with Worldview International Foundation to ensure our trees are reaching their full capabilities. Helping to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and then releasing valuable Oxygen. Furthermore, the mangrove park helps local communities and increases biodiversity. Together, we are restoring the healing power of nature with Worldview International Foundation.
Worldview International Foundation hosted the first-ever International Climate Conference to Restore the Healing Power of Nature.
Kicking the week off with a huge insight into who is planting within the park, their reasons, their projects, and how they plan to help further in the future. The Starboard team joined the event with SCG who has recently signed an MOU with, Linzi from Protect Blue and Alan from Generation Blue.
Projects spoke about ranged from a large scale mangrove restoration for carbon offsetting for the Korean company KEPCO, to Chris from Last of Ours whose mission is:
“To bridge the gap between a worldwide audience and last-mile wildlife conservation projects, creating an irresistible connection between consumers and the endangered wildlife they wish to save”.
Linzi from Protect Blue and Svein from Starboard also shared their projects showing how they’re connected to the mangrove park. Linzi’s Ambassadors for the Planet program plants 2 mangrove trees for each workbook that is sold. The program also gives a workbook to someone who cannot afford to purchase one!
Rising Temperatures
It is known that we are aiming to not raise the temperature of the planet and we have to take important actions to do so. Actions including the reduction of travel and the CO2 emissions we emit, as well as absorbing the emissions we emit through tree planting. Svein Tveitdal, Founder of Klima 2020 shared very important facts with us, showing us the image below. Elaborating that if we took no action we would raise the temperature of the planet to 4.5 degrees Celsius. Whereas we aim to not increase the planet’s temperature by 1.5 degrees Celsius within the century.
The Paris Agreement aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change and to keep the global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius. Resulting in more and more glaciers melting, more landslides, the disappearance of rivers and many more We can only do this if we all take action!
The Mangrove Park
Following the great conference SCG, Linzi and Starboard took a trip over to the mangrove park to learn even more about the mangroves. We even got to plant our very own mangrove trees.
How do mangroves grow by themselves?
Mangroves produce a propagule from the tree. These are like a seed. Once they are ready they will naturally fall off from the tree and fall like a dart into the ground. Within three days the propagule will start to root into the ground.
Why do we have to help them plant?
Up to 50% of mangrove trees have been lost in Asia. At the Climate Park, the mangrove trees were being cut down to be used and sold for charcoal. People who are living in poverty would cut down the trees to receive a really small amount of money in return. As the amount of trees that have been cut is so drastic the mangrove forests need our help!
The mangrove trees that we plant on a large scale are planted in community nurseries who plant the propagule, nurturing them until they are ready to be planted in the mangrove park. Experts at Worldview International Foundation will place specific species in areas in the park that is suited to its water level. High water levels, mid-water levels, and low water levels will take on different species who grow the best at each.
Mangroves Protect Themselves
The water surrounding the trees is a mix of saltwater from the sea and fresh water from the rivers. What is also in the waters is sulphuric acid which is dangerous for the mangrove trees. However, what is amazing is that the mangrove trees protect themselves from getting poisoned. The tree naturally selects one leaf on the tree to absorb all the sulphuric acid. The leaf turns yellow and eventually falls off. How smart!
The Climate Parks Future
Right now the park has shown many benefits of replanting the trees. Schools of baby fish are seeking the first few moments of their life in the park as the roots of the mangrove trees protect them from predators. Leading to the increase of fish stocks by 50%. The results are not just seen in the mangrove park. Seagrass and coral reefs on the sea shoreline next to the mangrove parks are flourishing again. In previous years they were seriously damaged from the lack off natural water reaching these areas. The natural water comes from the mangrove filtration of sediments and runoffs. The growing seagrass forest has brought back the Dugong, the sea cow.
In the next few years, Worldview International Foundation is bringing in an Eco-Tourism stance to the park. This will help visitors understand the importance of mangrove planting, and to also support the park through their visit.
If you are interested in offsetting your carbon footprint then head onto Worldview International Foundation where you can plant your trees!
