Planet Ark has released its 2020 Tree Report in the wake of relentless drought, a brutal and tragic summer of bushfires and the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the Australian people and land are facing the task of recovering and rebuilding. Regeneration is perhaps more important for the Australian people and our environment now than ever before. Source: Timberbiz
The monumental, life and landscape altering events Australians have faced in the past year have caused immense stress, devastation and loss.
“It is devastating to see the impacts of the 2019/20 bushfires on our trees and country. What makes it worse is knowing we could have prevented much of this damage through applying cultural fire and caring for country practices,” said Oliver Costello, Bundjalung People, Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation.
During the last three years, much of eastern Australia has been subjected to severely dry conditions, with rainfall in many parts of the region being close to or below record low values.One of the main drivers for these drought conditions has been cooler sea surface temperatures in the eastern Indian Ocean – a climatic event called a positive Indian Ocean Dipole.
Over the last century, it is positive Indian Ocean Dipoles that have led to the worst droughts and bushfires in southeast Australia. Concerningly, the latest research shows these events have occurred more frequently in the last few decades than in the last three hundred years. In addition, the last two years have seen record-breaking high land temperatures, with the summer of 2018/2019 being Australia’s warmest on record.
This tragic combination of drought and heat created the perfect conditions for the extreme bushfires of summer 2019/2020, with more than 5.3 million hectares of land burnt in NSW alone and an estimated one billion animals killed across Australia.
The report aims to explore how our land and our communities have been impacted and how we can start the journey towards regeneration.
This year’s Tree Report will focus on regeneration from three perspectives, drawing on scientific research and expert opinion in order to share knowledge and provide practical tips for personal and environmental regeneration.
Our Land
Examining how Australian landscapes have been impacted by the devastating 2019/2020 bushfire season, in addition to ongoing drought that has caused widespread destruction.
Our People
Dealing with the mental health impacts of living through a global pandemic and an unprecedented bushfire season within six months, in addition to ongoing eco-anxiety associated with climate change and other environmental concerns.
Our Future
Investigating human resilience after exposure to trauma and how Australian ecosystems, while naturally resilient, may fundamentally transform if pushed beyond their tipping point.
Download the report here: planet-ark-the-tree-report-2020-digital-final
