To Tree, Or Not To Tree

Here is an interesting conundrum for environmentalists: Is it better to plant trees, or cut them down? According to the NewScientist.com news service, the UK Department for International Development's Forestry Research Programme has released a report indicating that forest planting may increase deserts. Planting trees can create deserts, lower water tables and drain rivers, rather than filling them, claims a new report supported by the UK government. On the other hand, data indicate that forests lock up carbon through sequestration, lessening the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Tagged as Current Events, Environment, Global Warming