Amazon deforestation could be stopped by ‘miracle tree
Amid devastating
wildfires and clearances for agricultural land in the Amazon, a tree species
that can help keep soil fertile could provide a sliver of optimism for the
grave situation in the rainforest.
The inga tree – also
known as the ice cream bean tree – can not only grow on the very poor soil left
by destructive slash and burn land clearing, but can ultimately improve the
soil and make it fertile enough for other species to return.
Meanwhile, the beans
can be sold by farmers, leaves from the trees can be fed to cattle, and they
can be coppiced to create firewood – giving people several reasons to invest in
growing them.
The reason the trees,
of which there are hundreds of species, are uniquely useful is that they fix
nitrogen into the soil, which is a key nutrient for plants... read more:
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/amazon-burning-rainforest-inga-tree-climate-crisis-fires-deforestation-a9174566.html