The importance
of trees
Trees
provide:
- fruit and nuts
- leaves and pods for fodder
- bark for medicines and resins for chemicals
- roots for flavourings
- fibres for making ropes
- twigs and branches for kindling
- wood for building construction, carving and making charcoal
- branches for thatch
- poles for building and fencing
- habitats for animals, plants and insects
Many native African trees are capable of 'fixing' nitrogen through
nodules on their roots. Such trees can be planted to assist the
growth of crops (agro-forestry) and prevent erosion.
Although PATIA does not advocate
tree planting as a means of offsetting carbon emissions, the important
role trees play in sequestering carbon dioxide and providing oxygen
should be recognised. The carbon reservoir in trees is much greater
than that in herbacious plants. Thus planting trees in former
treeless land will increase the reservoir of carbon in vegetation.
Sequestration ceases when the trees are mature.
Trees planted in Africa generally
grow quickly and hence start to sequester carbon over a shorter
time span than trees planted in cold climates. Most Africans still
use charcoal and wood as their main source of cooking fuel and
trees play an important economic role in sustainable rural development.
Hence supporting tree planting helps to relieve the poverty of
the world's poorest people, mainly living in rural areas of Africa.
If nitrogen fixing trees are planted in conjunction with crops
(agro-forestry) they will help the crops to grow. It is estimated
that, on average, one tree will sequester one tonne of CO2 during
its life.Most of PATIA's grants are directed towards community
run agro-forestry projects. So far PATIA has supported projects
in Tanzania, South Africa, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Uganda
and Cameroon.
How you
can help
We welcome your support whether you would like to make an
individual donation or would like to become involved in fund-raising
for a specific project.
We can supply details of individual small projects and feedback
as the project progresses.
Long-term support helps us to plan for the future. If you would
like to help
in this way you might like to complete a Bankers
order form.
If you are living in the UK and pay tax at the standard rate or
more we can
claim an extra 28% from the Inland Revenue at no cost to yourself
if you
complete a Gift aid form.
You can print off the forms from this site and send them to the
address below:
