Since 1999, Instituto Terra has begun restoring the once degraded 1,751 acre Bulcao Farm back to its original Atlantic Rainforest ecosystem – an important step in our civilization’s fight against the climate crisis.  The Institute has successfully reforested 1,420 acres of the land using solely tree species original to the Atlantic Forest, with a minimum of 100 native species (from the 293 in its collection) varied according to the seeds available.

At Instituto Terra, the environmental recovery efforts have actually produced a tropical microclimate over the land with increased rainfall and weather.  One-fifth of the world’s fresh water is found in the Atlantic Forest and Amazon Rainforest; which act as the world’s thermostat by regulating global temperatures and weather patterns.

So how does planting trees help fight the climate crisis?

Remember in 3rd grade when your teacher explained the carbon cycle of trees?  It’s really that simple.  Trees breathe in carbon dioxide (CO2) and breathe out oxygen.  You emit CO2 through a majority of your daily activities such as driving, heating your home, and using electricity. Since the beginning of human civilization, the Earth has balanced these gases with trees using the carbon cycle! Unlike energy, carbon is continuously cycled and reused. The Earth only has a fixed amount of carbon. The carbon cycle is the ultimate form of recycling.

So why should I plant trees in Brazil instead of here in the United States?

Trees are not all created equal.  Trees in northern forests – like those in the United States – absorb less CO2 than trees in tropical areas.  Trees planted in tropical regions – specifically the Atlantic Rainforest – are the most efficient in absorbing carbon dioxide.  The Atlantic Rainforest has acted as the world’s carbon sink for centuries, but since 1500 we have deforested 93% of it.  We have destroyed the Earth’s ability to balance its carbon dioxide and now we are responsible for rebuilding this carbon sink.

So why invest in trees instead of other carbon capture technologies?

It is really simple.  Trees appreciate over time and actually consume carbon, something all of the other technologies lack.

Better Return on Investment:  Appreciation vs. Depreciation

Of all the carbon reducing technologies, only reforestation appreciates in value over time. All other technologies (i.e. hybrid cars, solar, wind, etc.) depreciate with the passage of time. Worse still, all of these other technologies incur recycling costs at the end of their useful lives (i.e. batteries from hybrid cars). Reforestation, on the other hand, naturally recycles or, even better, can generate income through the sale of mature trees to finance continued reforestation costs. In other words, the costs of the reforestation of the rainforests can be self financed by the assets they produce.

Carbon Reducing vs. Carbon Consuming

A key differentiating factor in comparing reforestation with other carbon reducing technologies is that most technologies can only reduce the amount of carbon introduced into the atmosphere (i.e. solar, wind, hybrid, etc.). Reforestation, on the other hand, consumes carbon.

Furthermore, although carbon reduction technologies are wonderful wherever they are implemented, many countries don’t embrace them (i.e. China). Carbon consumption technologies (reforestation) consume carbon no matter where the carbon is created.  Trees planted in Brazil consume carbon emitted in the United States.