Trees face extinction

 

At the COP16 Biodiversity summit in Cali, Columbia, IUCN released first ever Global Tree Assessment report. It presents shocking state of world trees. 38% of the world's trees are now threatened with extinction. Tree species are at risk of extinction in 192 countries around the world. Trees now account for over one quarter of species on the IUCN Red List, and the number of threatened trees is more than double the number of all threatened birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians combined. Human being has wiped out 60% of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles since 1970. Insect population has decreased by 75%. Freshwater habitat are the worst hit with population collapse of 85% (from 1970-2014 WWF report, and yes last ten years must have made it worse). So even if the destruction were to be paused today it will take atleast 5 to 7 million years for the natural world to recover. The recovery period is increasingly alarmingly moving to tipping point of no return.  

Trees are defining component of many ecosystems, and are fundamental to life on Earth through their role in carbon, water and nutrient cycles, soil formation and climate regulation. They provide habitat for many species as also livelihood to people. Trees cool the surrounding and provide shade, as also contribute to identity and aesthetics of the place. Trees are part of myth, folklore and stories, and are soul satisfying presence. Many species of plants and trees are saved by “kavu” -sacred groves in the forest or dense vegetation mostly inhabited by snakes, quite common in Kerala and Coorg (Karnataka). These are preserved for thousands of years and traces to proto religion that respected nature (possibly for fear of unknown forces that dense dark forest represented). There are no deity but some rocks or shape of cobra's hood. You light a lamp and do a silent pray, and leave everything as it is. As basic and as profound. Ofcourse in recent times religion has claimed these spaces and vandalized with structures and noise, but the sacredness remains and is therefore protected. These spaces are now refuge for rare species of plants and trees, and possibly microorganisms that will have much significance in future.

Clearing forest for farming and agriculture are the biggest threat to trees apart from logging, as also pests and diseases that is set to rise with increase in temperature. Increasing number of forest fires have significantly impacted the species biomass. Recent study points to possible extinction of legume tree, Vachellia bolei, along the TamilNadu coast mainly due to sand mining and conversion for cultivation. Human population and increasing consumption is the common factor in all the problems we face. Yet devious people are worried about falling fertility rate in some regions (as society evolves and increase in sophistication population will decrease, it is now for the technology to compensate as also increase comfort with more efficiency and less consumption of resources). Dark empaths working on neoliberal needs and primitive parameters of religion perform worry for falling human population and sniff out these as ‘news’. These opportunists shouldn’t be allowed to control narration. There cannot be any incentive for increasing human fertility.

*According to the report magnolias are most threatened tree species. Sampige (Magnolia Champaca) is a special tree, I used to carry those light-yellow tepals (tepals are fused petals and sepals -fun fact here is magnolias evolved before bees and depend on beetles for pollination hence these sturdier tepals) in my pocket -such agreeable light fragrance. Sampige road in Bangalore is now crowded and noisy hell but in mid-2000s was much quieter and a lovely place to walk.