New Scientist Breaking News – Planting trees may create deserts
The report summarises studies commissioned over the past four years by the Forestry Research Programme, funded by the UK government’s Department for International Development.

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I have my doubts about the accuracy of this report. It sounds more like something the US gov would be spewing out.

Update:

I just reread this piece and I’d have to see the entire study. There at the end the one guy says that cutting all the trees only causes a little decrease in rain fall. But what about the air temperature of the area. Does it go up or down when the trees are cut? What about the temp of the ground. Again, up or down? Birds, animals? Insects, and lower life forms? What does it do to the wind patterns. And what does it do to erosion patterns in an area when clear cutting is involved. There are so many variables that while they may be honest in reaching their conclusions I suspect that they chosen their figures to make this piece of toilet paper sound the way the powers that be want it to sound.

Or I could just be in a foul mood… But I have lived with the effects of clear cutting an area and the decrease in water and increase in erosion…