Good idea: Plant cork forests to stop wildfires
https://wwf.panda.org/es/?20933%2FFighting-forest-fires-with-cork-in-Portugal=
Portugal keeps losing massive stretches of forest to wildfires, and a big part of the problem is eucalyptus. It's a fast growing cash crop that burns like a match. Cork oak trees are the opposite. Their thick bark is a natural fire retardant that burns slowly, produces no toxic smoke, and actually acts as a firebreak. The trees survive and regenerate after fires instead of fueling them. On top of that, cork forests hold water in the soil, prevent erosion, absorb around 6 tons of CO2 per hectare, and support one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, on par with the Amazon. They also provide a sustainable income since cork bark regrows and can be harvested every nine years without harming the tree. WWF and others are already working on replacing burned eucalyptus monocultures with native cork oak to make the landscape more resilient. It's not a quick fix, but it's one of those rare solutions that's good for the economy, the ecosystem, and fire prevention all at once.
#GoodIdeas #Reforestation #fire #Wildfire #Prevention #Nature #Sustainability
