Make The West Wet Again

Our planet currently has more trees than at any time in recorded history. However, it is also true that our forests are losing biodiversity, which makes them more susceptible to drought and soil erosion. These factors combine to create a vicious cycle that can transform a habitat into a desert, with trees being some of the last to go. Soil erosion is occurring at a rate of 36 billion tons per year, and it is exacerbated by the loss of biodiversity. As trees die, their roots no longer hold the soil in place, and the soil loses nutrients and carbon. The resulting loss of soil moisture can lead to flooding, ironically, at the beginning of droughts. Our solution is to install fully designed ecosystems where there has been complete die-off due to drought. These systems will convey water to forests and farmlands for dozens to hundreds of miles every year. Not only can this rebalance our vital forests, but it will also provide relief to our farms that struggle and are about to be lost due to lack of water. This can be done affordably at approximately one dollar per 54 square feet of designer ecosystem. Each of these systems should be larger than 50 acres to have a full effect of generating rain. We will continue to plant these systems until we restore our groundwater and no longer see drought conditions. An interesting side effect of these designer ecosystems is that the vapor they emit travels high enough to remove heat from the planet. While this will not stop climate change, it could provide some relief in our areas of operation. I will continue to add notes here as we make progress.