Sunday 24 November 2013

Will Work For Trees

LIVE GREEN 
  WILL WORK FOR TREES
 
“What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
 
 
 Pitch
Flag of Malawi
Trees are our best friends, we can't live without them.  Bordered by Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia is a country called Malawi.  My intention is to start a tree planting project in Malawi's capital city, Lilongwe.  There will be land bought in Malawi to grow a tree nursery.  My goals for this project are; to decrease the demand for wood by conserving existing trees and planting fast growing trees for a sustainable source of timber and to restore degraded land.  For every tree that we plant in Lilongwe, another one will be planted in Ontario, Canada.  Malawi became an independent nation in 1964 and became a multiparty government in 1994; which it continues to be today.  The population consists of over 16 million people.  The leading issues in Malawi include: the spreading of HIV/AIDS, corruption, growth of population and an increasingly large amount of agricultural land that is being destroyed due to development.  The current issues Malawi faces with the environment include, but are not limited to, deforestation, degraded land and water pollution.  Malawi loses an average of 200 square miles of forest every year. 
 
 
Critical Need
Africa faces many issues with deforestation.  Malawi specifically has a deforestation rate of 2.8 percent per year, according to the Southern Africa Development Community this is one of the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.  Over 20 percent of Malawi's forests were destroyed between the years of 1990 and 2000.  Every ten minutes, a forest area the size of a football field is cut down. 
 
 
Impact
Trees are important for a number of reasons.  They are a natural air filter;  they add oxygen to the air and reduce carbon dioxide, helping to fight air pollution.  Trees also help to prevent soil erosion, which Malawi has a lot of.  By planting these trees in Malawi we are not only conserving trees that are already there, we are providing a sustainable source of lumber.  By providing this lumber, the amount of forests that are being cut down will reduce.  Each time a tree is planted in Canada and Malawi, it benefits the environment in which we live.

 
Feasibility
The project will take place from May 2014 - September 2014.  The total amount this project will cost is $658,200. Sheridan Nurseries has a long term commitment to environmental responsibilities and sustainability, they would be willing to help with a start up cost of $500,000.  Humber Nurseries Limited is going to donate the remaining costs of the projects, they support numerous charitable organizations and causes.  John Deere kindly agreed to donate one of their plows.  Included in the cost will be: 
 
- $1.66 to plant five seedlings in Malawi
  25,000 seedlings x $1.66/5 = $8,300
- $25 to plant a tree in Canada
   25,000 trees x $25 = $625,000
- Borehole well with pump = $15,000 
- 2 Sprinklers + 2 Hoses = $2,000
- 20 Shovels = $200
- 50m x 50m land in Malawi = $5,000
- Fence = $200
- Labour in Malawi ($0.10 per tree) = $2,500
- The trees planted in Canada will be done by volunteers.
 
 
About me
My name is Laura Duncan, I'm 15 years old.  I'm in grade 10 at Bill Crothers Secondary School and I play hockey and rugby.  Helping the environment has long been something that I've been interested in.  I enjoy being outdoors; going camping and walking my dog.
 
 
Works Cited 
"Central Intelligence Agency." The World Factbook. 4 Nov. 2013 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mi.html.

 Infoplease. Infoplease. 4 Nov. 2013 http://www.infoplease.com/country/malawi.html?pageno
 
"Green Initiatives." – Sheridan Nurseries. 4 Nov. 2013    http://www.sheridannurseries.com/about_sheridan_nurseries/green_initiatives.
 
"Tree Planting." RIPPLE Africa. 4 Nov. 2013 http://www.rippleafrica.org/environment-projects-in-malawi-africa/tree-planting-africa.

"World Tree Appeal." World Tree Appeal. 4 Nov. 2013 http://www.treeappeal.com/World_Tree_Appeal.html. 
 
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3 comments:

  1. Unknown24 November 2013 at 12:05

    Good report Laura. Just a couple of things:

    Firstly, you need to explain why deforestation is such a big problem in Malawi. There needs to be a reason why deforestation is happening so badly there instead of just saying it is from development.

    Secondly, you need to explain how long it would take for the seeds to grow into trees. This would take at least 5 years, which means it would be a good plan for the future, but would not do anything in the future.

    Hope this helps make your blog a bit better!

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  2. Unknown24 November 2013 at 12:11

    I really like how green and original your project is. I enjoy how it is not the most expensive project because it is a very needed project for the world. This makes it very attainable. You also gave great facts and statistics that support your point very well. Great job!

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  3. Unknown24 November 2013 at 13:02

    Nice project Laura. I enjoyed how at the beginning you added a quote by Mahatma Gandhi which gives the reader a great perspective on what the rest of the report is going to state. One suggested that I have after reading your report is to include more background information on Malawi so that the reader has a better idea of what it is like to live in the country. Also, when referring to the rubric your sources need to be ing alphabetical order to get full marks. Hope this helps!

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