4.3.16

The Solution of Surplus - Aerial tree seeding for lower cost landscape scale tropical forest restoration.


Scouting for potential aerial seeding areas - S.W. Kenya.

Concept

A surplus of indigenous hardwood timber producing forests and woodlands that will provide the resources for long term sustainable forest products industries. 


Summary

Controlled aerial tree seeding for low cost landscape scale reafforestation to provide a surplus of high value timber hardwood trees over the next 5-10 decades that could drive a long term high value forest products industry. 


Who will take these actions?

Relevant Govt. Agencies (Forestry Departments, The National Air Force, Universities, Private and NGO investors etc.). Actions eventually will be handed over fully to the Forestry Departments and other allied civil society associations.  


What are other key benefits?

- A vast investment in landscape scale forest restoration (millions of acres) at a very marginal cost. (as low as $0.01c per tree perhaps) while creating many long term employment opportunities. 

- Kickstarting a National indigenous hardwood tree seed growing and collecting industry loosely based on the existing coffee industry that could provide 'green collar' jobs to thousands of people regionally. 

- By piggybacking various agro-economic aerial imaging platforms, relevant data can also be collected for the National Govt. while seeding forests. 



What are the proposal’s costs?

Given the scale of landscape forest restoration - aerial seeding, especially when automated can reduce the costs of planting more than 100 million trees in tropical areas by more than 60% as compared to the current traditional methods.


Timeline

5-15 years - Piloting and perfecting aerial manual and autonomous tree seeding and initiation of a National tree seed collection program. 

15-50 years - Scaling up the program regionally and perfecting woodlands management and value chain to point of sale. 

50-100+ years - Sustainable indigenous hardwood forest by-products industries that are contributing to positive economic, environmental and social stability.  



Related proposals

''At the recent UN Climate Summit in New York, businesses and governments pledged to “speed up restoration” so that 350 m hectares of degraded forestland can be converted back into forest by the end of the next decade – an area greater than the whole of India. This would have huge benefits for the climate, by storing carbon and take pressure off primary forests.” But how could this be achieved, on such a vast scale, so quickly?''

http://www.futureterrains.org/robots-revive-rainforests-guest-blog-stephen-elliott-forru-thailand/


https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/geoengineering/llS-vGQkZmE/MFxXv-7sQCAJ


References

http://reskqu.blogspot.co.ke/2008/12/scorched-earth-charcoal-kiln-re.html

https://www.sei-international.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/ICRAF-SEI-2014-techbrief-Sustainable-charcoal.pdf



21.9.15

The Seed-to-Ash Energy Cycle A Brief Guide to Biomass Energy Farming and Utilization in Kenya


The Seed-to-Ash Energy Cycle

A Brief Guide to Biomass Energy Farming and Utilization in Kenya


•Correct management and utilization of biomass is key to enhancing the efficiency of what can be a carbon neutral, environmentally friendly green energy solution for East Africa, the seed-to-ash-cycle.
•The most glaring loophole in the bio-energy system in Kenya is the general lack of widespread re-afforestation of wood energy crops.
•Use and knowledge of ‘fireplace technologies’ i.e. energy saving stoves, well managed open fire’s, drying firewood etc. needs to be further disseminated and the importance amplified.


•Knowledge and practice of dynamic holistic harvesting and processing of woodfuels needs to be more widely practiced. Charcoal making is a skilled artisan’s task, much like plumbing or mechanical work, training is extensive in order to achieve a high level of efficiency and sustainability. (and charcoal makers can become some of the best treeplanters)
•Structured implementable government policies focusing on opening new avenues of monetary incentives for good land husbandry practices. Training and certification is a must.
•Emergency re-afforestation efforts must be undertaken immediately to prevent further degradation of Kenya’s (and our neighbors’) environment. Widespread aerial tree seeding as practiced in China, Canada and the Philippines needs to be undertaken as soon as possible.
•Small scale polyculture agroforestry for Food, Fuel and Fodder following holistic management plans is already gaining widespread acceptance in rural areas but must be upscaled.
•Enabling those engaged in the seed-to-ash cycle, real opportunities to access money from carbon credits, will improve successful adaptation to climatic change and global warming among those it detrimentally affects most.




27.6.14

Cookswell Jikos around the world - see below for a list of countries where people are saving energy and eating well!


  • Namibia, New Zealand, Tanzania, Somalia, United Kingdom, Cambodia, United States of America, Haiti, Ghana, Holland, the Democratic Republic of Congo and of course Kenya - please scroll through the below pics and guess where each one is :) 


Namibia

Nairobi


Switzerland

Geneva

Cousin Chris in Phoenix, AZ

Cousin Chris in Phoenix, AZ

USA! 


South Tanzania

even we are not sure where this is....

New Mexico 
Vihiga, Kenya

Holland

Holland

Def. Holland

Kenya looking at Kilimanjaro 

Richards Camp, Maasai Mara

Richards Camp Maasai Mara 

Lost in the Sahara! 

Tanzania! 

Kenya

Dominican Republic

England

England

Accra Ghana

Accra Ghana

JKIA Kenya

A jiko safari suit

Peace Hotel II Mogadishu Somalia
Tanzania

Angkor Wat Cambodia

Mac Lai Lake Congo

Seattle USA

Yorkshire England

Brizzil England! 

Arizona


Kabete Nairobi

South Coast Kenya


Cambodia

Kitengela Kenya


Stephans House in the Hague. 



Wellington New Zealand



Timau Kenya


 Jambaini, Zanzibar
 Jambaini, Zanzibar


 Jambaini, Zanzibar