Why ‘Desert-Greening’ won’t Work.
Planting trees in deserts will not work. They were grasslands first.
Companies such as ‘Undesert’ are attempting to re-green desertified regions of the world by planting trees.
This will not help.
These areas have never been forest. They were grasslands.
They must go back to being grasslands before they can be forests. This is how Ecological succession works.
In the case of ‘Undesert’, it seems they have realised this. Their solution? Desalinate seawater to water their trees.
On paper, innovations like these look great. In this example, you could even argue that with rising sea levels, using sea water to water trees that are saving deserts is a great idea! Two birds, one stone?!
Unfortunately, concepts like these never address the root of the problem, and so never solve it.
Desertified land must be returned to diverse grasslands, which build soil. Soil holds water, stores carbon, and can grow food.
“Ultimately, the only wealth that can sustain any community, economy or nation is derived from the photosynthetic process - green plants growing on regenerating soil.”
— Allan Savory