Here, Cutting Down Millions of Trees is Actually a Good Thing | National Geographic

in general in the conservation movement

in general in the conservation movement you know we’re very favorable to tree

you know we’re very favorable to tree

you know we’re very favorable to tree planting yeah what could be better

planting yeah what could be better

planting yeah what could be better [Music]

[Music]

[Music] what we’re doing here is we’re restoring

what we’re doing here is we’re restoring

what we’re doing here is we’re restoring one of the most important conservation

one of the most important conservation

one of the most important conservation sites in Britain if not Europe there is

sites in Britain if not Europe there is

sites in Britain if not Europe there is an estimated 400 million tonnes of

an estimated 400 million tonnes of

an estimated 400 million tonnes of carbon that’s stored on the peat that

carbon that’s stored on the peat that

carbon that’s stored on the peat that we’re looking at that’s as much as 20

we’re looking at that’s as much as 20

we’re looking at that’s as much as 20 million tanker trucks full of petrol and

million tanker trucks full of petrol and

million tanker trucks full of petrol and that is more than all the forests of dek

that is more than all the forests of dek

that is more than all the forests of dek together

[Music]

[Music] people store more carbon than any other

people store more carbon than any other

people store more carbon than any other terrestrial ecosystem on the planet so

terrestrial ecosystem on the planet so

terrestrial ecosystem on the planet so for that they are very important for the

for that they are very important for the

for that they are very important for the global climate regulation the peatland

global climate regulation the peatland

global climate regulation the peatland should not have trees on them the trees

should not have trees on them the trees

should not have trees on them the trees and the drainage ditches that have been

and the drainage ditches that have been

and the drainage ditches that have been plowed through the peat lines are very

plowed through the peat lines are very

plowed through the peat lines are very bad at drying out the peat and breaking

bad at drying out the peat and breaking

bad at drying out the peat and breaking it up once the peat is exposed to the

it up once the peat is exposed to the

it up once the peat is exposed to the air it starts to always oxidize and

air it starts to always oxidize and

air it starts to always oxidize and deteriorate and every time a peat is

deteriorate and every time a peat is

deteriorate and every time a peat is eroding away like that

eroding away like that

eroding away like that we’re losing carbon back to the

we’re losing carbon back to the

we’re losing carbon back to the environment these towers constantly

environment these towers constantly

environment these towers constantly measure the carbon is coming out of an

measure the carbon is coming out of an

measure the carbon is coming out of an open landscape restored landscape and a

open landscape restored landscape and a

open landscape restored landscape and a forested landscape

to restore the peatlands we need to

to restore the peatlands we need to remove these trees which should never

remove these trees which should never

remove these trees which should never have been planted and we need to re-wet

have been planted and we need to re-wet

have been planted and we need to re-wet the ground and then nature will take its

the ground and then nature will take its

the ground and then nature will take its course we can see here one of the old

course we can see here one of the old

course we can see here one of the old Horace tree furrows that would have been

Horace tree furrows that would have been

Horace tree furrows that would have been plowed gradually that the bulb muscles

plowed gradually that the bulb muscles

plowed gradually that the bulb muscles are filling up over the forestry residue

are filling up over the forestry residue

are filling up over the forestry residue and it’s laying down P you know it might

and it’s laying down P you know it might

and it’s laying down P you know it might be another 20-30 years before it’s

be another 20-30 years before it’s

be another 20-30 years before it’s restored back to natural state but the

restored back to natural state but the

restored back to natural state but the bog is coming back to life