Rough Guide to the Tree Equivalent of Man and their Replantation

Rough Guide to the Tree Equivalent of Man and their Replantation
 

This is not referring to the commercial scale of replacement, since the rate at which the commercial scale exploitation occurs, cannot be estimated with any accuracy.

This is based on the use of tree, timber and its products by man during his/her productive life. If we were to sustain each man or women has to grow at least 10 trees and maintain them till they mature. This has to be done in 4-5 year cycles and older you (above 35 years) are the cycle has to be at least on 1-2 year intervals.

Ideally each man or woman plants a tree on their birthday!

1. The use as timber products for roofing and housing
2. To replace the use of paper products
3. Use of fire wood (this has to be in relation to the use)
4. The use of furniture
5. Wastage in every production line
6. The trees not sustaining themselves due to bad planting or weather conditions
7. The last 4 points are for unaccountable felling and vandalism encountered and may  vary according to the country.

This amount is to keep the balance of nature. If one has a house with 4 adults,   this estimate makes for 40 trees around their neighbourhood and the way the houses are built in a city next to each other there is is no room for to grow enough trees. 

Not even a single tree or hedge to act as windbreaks and shade. (please look at how rich Americans build their houses and walkabouts). 

That means every major city has to have a buffer zone (this is how the ancient people built cities) of tree cover equivalent to the population that is incarcerated in the name of development.

Colombo city can never regain its splendor what ever we do. 

Perhaps built anather Nelum Kuluna (a party symbol)  or Lillie Tower.

The Kandy city has almost 3 three times population density of Palestine Refugee Camps and we are going to be no different to Israel in another 10 or 20 years. 

We are losing it faster than it's regeneration.

Regarding the commercial exploitation the re-plantation has to be according to the tree's cycle. If the tree grows to maturity in 4 years for every tree harvested 4 should be planted and only a very few trees fall into this category.
For some trees, if it is lost it is lost for ever.

These rare trees may take at least 400 to 500 years for it to grow to maturity and often not reproducing fast enough due to their longevity and this simple equation cannot be applied in recreating it in a natural habitat.

This is only a rough estimate and we have lost about 60% of our forest cover in 50 years of unsustainable use.

I do not think these people with mega-development ideas have understood the problem or have insight into the matters of concern we are facing now.

The have no futuristic goals but the presence of mind for exploitation.

Very soon we will be like Dubai, the work we have to do now is enormous, if we are to arrest these trends.