an essay by Doug Lockard
“Human activity is driving climate change. If we want to mitigate the worst impacts, it’s going to take a deliberate focus on finding ways to further remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.” Colm Sweeney, NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory
NOAA announced recently that carbon dioxide in our atmosphere was recorded at a record-high 421 ppm; about 50% higher than prior to the Industrial Revolution. In fact, they reported, the level of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere is now higher than it has been in at least 3.6 million years.
Because soil holds four times the amount of carbon stored in the atmosphere, how we use the land under our care will determine how well it sequesters carbon. Good land stewardship practices that include deep-rooted perennials, woody plants and trees will help sequester carbon in the soil. Native plants are ideal for this purpose as they have the best chance of thriving and long-life in our ecosystems without chemicals or irrigation.