The article “Keep off the Grass” by Tracy Vence focuses on the effort by ecologists to respond to the threat of global climate change through planting of trees. Different Governments, NGOs and international donors have contributed a lot in afforestation and reforestation with the aim of achieving ecosystem restoration and preservation. However, according to Vence, there is a disconnection between the way the ecosystem restoration program is being implemented and what ecologists have advised.
United Nation and World Bank invest billions of dollars annually o encourage the world to plant trees (Vence, 2016).Nevertheless, the idea is noble, but scientific research is required in order to establish if planting trees is the solution in all places such savannah land, woodlands and grassland. Ecologists have warned that afforestation of the grassland may affect the soil’s ability to store nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon and this is not yet known how it will affect plant life. How the article relates to the course: The article relates to a great extent to the broad biological concept of ecology and cosystem because it explains about ways in which the society can restore the ecosystem by planting trees.
On the same note, ecology deeply elaborates on how living organisms interact with each other and with the physical and chemical component of their surrounding environment (Schmitz, 2013). The living organisms depend on their environment for their sole existence and survival. If their environment is interfered with, their existence is threatened and can suffer extinction. The study of ecology has provided me with a great background knowledge in nderstanding the article, especially the writer’s point of view on why scientific research is needed before planting trees in the grassland.
What got my attention in the article is the relevance of the topic, especially in today’s world where the climate change is a real threat. Increased industrialization in our today’s societies has led to the pollution and degradation of our environment. Today, great climate changes have been witnessed, such as global warming, ozone layer destruction, irregular climate atterns, and floods among others and have affected all countries in the world.The irregular climate patterns have resulted in a shortage of food since farmers are not able to predict the climate and the land also have been rendered infertile through pollution (NRDC n.
d). Personally the issue of climate change has affected my life, in that our family land has become less productive because of the pollution of the environment. The knowledge on how to conserve the environment will enable me to be careful, lead a better life, and contribute to estoring the productivity of my farm and increase food.The article emphasizes the importance of planting trees.
However, I strongly believe that scientific research is needed to guide these activities, of environment conservation so that we do not cause more harm even if our intentions are good. It is believed that planting trees on the grassland may result in the destruction of the land since it affects soil’s ability to store nutrients (Vence, 2016). Funding and rating The research on ecosystem restoration and preservation should be funded by the overnment through taxpayer’s money and also the private sector.This is because I believe environment conservation is everyone’s responsibility.
If we protect the environment, it will protect us in return. More funds can also be gotten from donor’s contributions and global charity events. This study is of high priority due to the threat posed by climate change have been identified to be more serious compared to other threats such as terrorism. This is why every government should allocate enough resource to enable people conserve and protect the ecosystem.
