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How does ecological restoration contribute to combating climate change?

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How does ecological restoration contribute to combating climate change?

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Belia MacAfee

Well, let me tell you, it's like this: ecological restoration is all about bringing ecosystems back from the brink of destruction. And when ecosystems are healthy and diverse, they actually help to counteract the effects of climate change.

Here's how it works: As we all know, climate change is caused by the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases, like carbon dioxide, trap heat from the sun and warm up the Earth. And unfortunately, humans have been pumping out greenhouse gases at an alarming rate for years now.

But here's where ecological restoration comes in. When we restore ecosystems that have been damaged or destroyed, we create new habitats for plants and animals. And these plants and animals do something pretty amazing: They absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Plants use carbon dioxide during photosynthesis to create sugars and other organic molecules, which they use to grow and reproduce. And when animals eat plants, they incorporate that carbon into their own bodies. So by restoring ecosystems, we actually create more opportunities for carbon to be taken out of the atmosphere and stored in biomass.

But that's not all. Ecosystems are also great at regulating the water cycle, which helps to mitigate the effects of droughts and floods. And they can even help to cool the Earth by absorbing and reflecting sunlight.

Now, I know you might be thinking, "Well, that all sounds great, but how much of a difference can a few restored ecosystems really make?" And honestly, I'm not sure. Scientists are still trying to figure that out.

But here's what I do know: By restoring ecosystems, we're not only doing something good for the planet, we're also creating new opportunities for people to connect with nature. And who knows? Maybe those restored ecosystems will inspire people to take even more action to combat climate change.

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