Скачать или смотреть They're Planting 8,000km of Trees Across Africa (This is Why)

8,000 kilometers. Eleven countries. One line of trees stretching across the entire width of Africa.

This is the Great Green Wall — the world's largest living structure, running from Senegal to Djibouti. But it's not just about planting trees. It's about stopping the Sahara Desert from swallowing an entire region, saving 100 million people, and restoring 100 million hectares of degraded land.

The Sahara is expanding 48 kilometers every year. Villages are disappearing. Farmland is turning to dust. Water is vanishing. And 60 million people could be displaced by 2030.

So Africa is fighting back with 8,000 km of trees. Here's why this might be the most important environmental project you've never heard of.

⏱️ CHAPTERS:
0:00 – Intro: The 8,000 km Wall You've Never Heard Of
0:35 – What Is the Great Green Wall?
1:20 – Why the Sahara Desert Is Expanding (And Why It Matters)
2:10 – The 11 Countries Building This Wall
2:55 – How They're Planting 8,000 km of Trees
3:45 – The Results So Far in 2025
4:30 – What Happens If This Fails?
5:15 – Why the World Should Care About This

🌍 GREAT GREEN WALL BY THE NUMBERS:
• Length: 8,000 km (4,970 miles) — longer than the Great Wall of China
• Width: 15 km (9 miles) across the Sahel belt
• Countries involved: Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti
• Target: Restore 100 million hectares of degraded land by 2030
• People impacted: 100 million living in the Sahel region
• Completion: 15% complete as of 2025 (12 million hectares restored)
• Cost: $33 billion USD over 15 years (2007-2030)

🏜️ WHY THE SAHARA IS EXPANDING:
The Sahara Desert grows 48 km per year southward — that's the size of 6,720 football fields every single day. The causes:
• Climate change (higher temperatures, less rainfall)
• Overgrazing (livestock destroying vegetation)
• Deforestation (cutting trees for firewood)
• Poor farming practices (soil degradation)

The Sahel region (the belt between Sahara and tropical Africa) is turning into desert. This process is called desertification — and it's displacing millions, destroying food security, and fueling conflict.

🌳 WHAT THE GREAT GREEN WALL ACTUALLY IS:
It's NOT a literal wall of trees side-by-side. It's a mosaic restoration project that includes:
• Native tree species (acacia, baobab, jujube, tamarind)
• Sustainable agriculture zones (agroforestry)
• Water harvesting systems (half-moon technique, stone bunds)
• Community-managed land restoration
• Economic opportunities (fruit trees, livestock feed)

The goal: Create a 15km-wide green corridor across Africa's width — trapping moisture, restoring soil, providing livelihoods, and stopping the desert.

💡 WHY THIS MATTERS IN 2025:
• Climate refugees: Desertification displaces more people than war. The Sahel is ground zero.
• Food crisis: 80% of Sahel residents depend on agriculture. No land = no food.
• Global instability: Climate migration from Africa affects Europe, triggering political crises.
• Proof of concept: If the Great Green Wall works, similar projects could restore deserts worldwide (Gobi Desert, Middle East, Australian Outback).

📊 PROGRESS IN 2025:
• Senegal: 11 million trees planted, 25,000 hectares restored
• Ethiopia: 15 million hectares restored (Great Green Wall + national effort)
• Nigeria: 5 million hectares under restoration
• Niger: 5 million hectares of farmland protected through farmer-managed regeneration
• Overall: 15% complete, but pace must triple to hit 2030 target

🌱 THE TECHNIQUES BEING USED:
1. Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR): Let native tree stumps regrow instead of planting new trees (faster, cheaper, 80% survival rate)
2. Half-Moon Water Harvesting: Dig crescent-shaped pits to trap rainwater and grow trees
3. Agroforestry: Plant trees alongside crops (trees provide shade, prevent erosion, produce fruit)
4. Community Ownership: Local villages manage the land (not top-down government projects)

⚠️ THE CHALLENGES:
• Funding: Only 30% of the $33 billion needed has been secured
• Conflict: Civil wars in Mali, Chad, Sudan disrupt restoration efforts
• Political instability: Governments change, priorities shift
• Climate: Even with trees, rainfall must increase for long-term success



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