Agroforestry with oaks and hemp for more biodiversity_ reforestation and soil improvement
                     Agroforestry, forestry and agriculture with oaks and hemp can improve soils, 
biodiversity and water balance. Greening Deserts launched the projects 
Agrarhanf.com, Bodenrettung.com and Eichenwald.org to support the 
worldwide agroforestry movement, global Greening Camps and Trillion Trees 
Initiative in future. Oaks harbor and enhance biodiversity more than any other 
trees. 
The contributions and projects are intended to support forestry and agricultural
managers with useful ideas, impulses and innovative solutions. We recommend
planting tree rows more densely in the beginning and then singling out 
individual trees as the years go by. In the beginning, larger trees can be 
planted and slightly smaller ones in between, which are then useful as 
replacements and for the region. This technique is very proven in Eastern 
Europe and the agroforestry is therefore also a kind of tree nursery. 
Agroforestry systems are less susceptible to forest fires.
Mitigation of climate change impacts through healthier and stronger 
ecosystems, higher soil and air moisture are essential for survival, especially 
with the increasing loss of cropland worldwide. Flowering trees and wildflowers 
on trees can attract more pollinators and important insects (beneficial insects) 
which, like birds, also reduce pests. Agroforestry is therefore one of the best 
ways to adapt to climate change and extreme weather events such as 
droughts.
Alternative tree species with nutritious berries and nuts as well as hardy palms
can be found on Greening Deserts project pages and naturally on the Leipzig 
Palms Project. In the meantime, there are also plenty of suitable industrial 
hemp varieties, just read the official regulations for the cultivation of hemp in 
Germany. We recommend undemanding, tall-growing and narrow hemp 
varieties for the production of hemp fiber. Bushier sorts for more leaves and 
hemp seeds, such as for food and feed. Commercial hemp can significantly 
reduce nitrogen and methane emissions, this has been confirmed many times 
by international researchers and studies. Some hemp varieties require very 
little water and can improve long-term biodiversity, nutrient supply and soil 
moisture. Similar to lupines, hemp can also be used as a green manure, for 
example if there are times when yields or growth are not so good in individual 
years, the plants can be added to the soil after harvesting together with 
compost and / or leaves. For hemp cultivation, no pesticides and very little 
fertilizer are needed. 
There are multiple options of tree planting, especially drought-tolerant oaks! 
Planting of pre-germinated seeds, e.g. germinated acorns, transplanting of 
young plants and cuttings around old trees in open areas in the forest or at the
forest edge. Purchasing perennial oaks and seedlings from nurseries especially 
for urban regions and urban areas where larger trees are needed. If there is 
extreme abundance of oaks and saplings in some years, they can be taken 
from old trees. Otherwise it would be a pity if they die in the forest due to lack 
of light or are destroyed by mowing on meadows in the park. As a result, many
millions of oaks are probably lost every year. The projects, campaigns and 
initiatives should also change or improve this, for example by showing how to 
do it, giving useful tips and having many people follow the movement. Not only
people from the concerned areas but also people from all areas and branches, 
also from the educational area, for example young people from schools and 
students from universities. After all, collecting and planting oak trees is not 
only a nice balance to intellectual work, it is good for health and properly 
implemented also a kind of sport. In addition, one is more outside in nature 
and can learn a lot.
One can harvest acorns very effectively in places with the raking and a special 
vacuum cleaner, sustainably and only a part at a time, especially at half mast 
and blast mast. As some clever farmers, foresters and forest owners have 
already done. Every year there are acorns in abundance, according to 
estimates several thousand tons, sustainable harvesting would not harm 
ecosystems, on the contrary... too much acorns are not good for soils! You can 
harvest acorns very effectively in places with raking and a special vacuum 
cleaner, sustainably and only a part at a time, especially with half mast and 
blast mast. As some smart farmers, foresters and forest owners have already 
done.
With healthy and natural feeds like hemp and acorns you can replace many of 
these feeds in the short term and in the long term! Especially oaks with large 
fruits are suitable for agroforestry, where rows of trees are planted in fields. 
Useful crops can then be grown between the rows. Acorns are good not only 
for animals, but also for humans, as a healthy addition to the diet or medicine. 
Acorn meal is very healthy and acorns with residual bitter compounds are good
for the stomach and intestines. 
The potential for more sustainable livestock production is enormous. In Spain, 
animals are partially fed on oak trees. Iberian acorn-fed pigs eat only acorns, 
grasses and herbs from pastures. Acorn fattening and pig fattening could also 
in Germany not only reduce feed costs, costly and environmentally harmful 
procurement of feed. It would protect together with increased hemp cultivation
soils and forests worldwide, since soils are destroyed less by deforestation and 
harmful crops. Of course, meat consumption or production should also be 
reduced globally - especially overproduction and senseless waste. 
There is simply too much food being wasted, thrown away or going bad; 
improved distribution and preservation through better or faster drying could 
help. At the same time, less environmentally damaging crops such as corn, 
canola and soy should be grown along the way. Particularly intensive 
agriculture damages soils; oily plant parts can seal soils or repel water. This is 
fatal when prolonged droughts dry out the soil severely and rain then does not 
seep in well in many places or even runs off completely on the surface. 
In order to bring forward topics such as species conservation, biodiversity, 
education, climate and environmental protection, as well as to promote a more
sustainable forestry and agriculture, we want to increasingly involve schools 
and universities in our actions as well as projects in the years until 2030. The 
OakPark and OakForest project Eichenwald.org was established together with 
the Schools Forest Initiative in 2019 and 2020. 
We want to plant about 50,000 trees for and region, together with schools and 
school classes. The floodplain forest could be extended by a few meters at the 
edges! If one the relationship of the enormous meadows and open spaces 
which lie around the Auwald and forests in Saxonia one asks oneself why no or
so few forest extensions were made until today. There is enough space around 
the alluvial forest and forests in Saxony. One does not need therefore 
necessarily a new forest to plant. Already on a meter band more forest at the 
edge of the forest thousands of new trees could be planted! If the work and 
projects are finally financially and actively supported, the actions and projects 
can be implemented more quickly, even by the end of 2023. Otherwise, due to 
lack of money and time, all the work and other important projects of the 
founder can unfortunately not hire helpers, get equipment or stuff is needed 
and will plant the oaks themselves over time and then plant out somewhere 
else. Then, unfortunately, there will be no Leipzig forest expansion with many 
important tree species and oak varieties. Because without any payment and 
support it simply does not work, especially under the current circumstances 
and plight of the founder, which lives since spring at subsistence level. The Oak
park and forest actions since a few weeks takes almost all working time and 
free time, if there comes no support thousands of sprouted acorns will be 
planted in buckets, pots and bags. This saves a lot of time and ways.
Almost 40,000 oaks have already been planted over the years in Germany and 
regions of Europe. These are now well adapted to the drought, because they 
were planted out early and thus could root deeply. In Leipzig and region about 
12,000 oaks were planted out! The founder of the Urban Greening Camp and
Vertical Farming Startup has collected acorns from many different trees, 
these can then be easily put into the ground when they have germinated. The 
germination rate is very high and the mortality rate very low because oaks root
very quickly and deeply - so they survive drought years quite well as we have 
unfortunately had more often now. 
Oaks support more biodiversity than any other German or native trees. 
Individual specimens with hundreds of species have been discovered and 
recently even a world record with well over a thousand species! As some 
Greening Deserts articles and projects have already well shown or 
extensively explained. Projects and programs like the Trillion Trees 
Initiative have been exploring these relationships for years, especially the 
relationship between biodiversity, healthy ecosystems and trees that are 
essential for the survival of many other species. If we save, protect and 
propagate key tree species on which many other species depend, we also 
protect many thousands of species in the plant and animal kingdoms, as well 
as soils, waters, microorganisms, insects and fungi! Key species and 
endangered tree species should be primarily introduced into ecosystems and 
forests. Various EU organizations and official bodies were informed the years 
several times - also directly by email and contacted with many letters, 
unfortunately ignored by many or answered only superficially. The Urban 
Greening and Vertical Farming Startup not only wants more creative urban 
greening with tree containers or raised beds and planting walls. It also wants 
to establish more mini-forests in Leipzig and the region, also to create hotspots
for biodiversity. Municipalities, farmers and forest owners from all over 
Germany are invited to provide parts of their area(s) for this project.
It is a win-win situation for everyone as such a mini-forest promotes a good 
climate and insect diversity in the region, in addition various tree species can 
also be planted more densely to use them in the future for further reforestation
or forestation in the region, this is not only logistically sensible, but also saves 
money, time and resources. The small forests can serve as a diverse nursery or
growing forest, so to speak. Greening Deserts founders have been creating the
concept for several years and to date it is mature, because it is to be 
implemented together with the emerging movement of agroforestry and 
agrovoltaics throughout Germany and then Europe. The main project can be 
reached under GreeningCamp or GreeningDeserts.com, in addition the Trillion
Trees Initiative and various forest projects will support this movement in the 
future.  
Greening Deserts founders and researchers explore with various projects not 
only drylands and arid ecosystems, but also wetlands such as floodplains, 
alluvial forests, wet forests, bogs or swamps, lake and river landscapes. Long-
term studies of marsh trees and wetland plants have been carried out, 
including photographic studies and in such a number of wetlands of Europe. 
Swamps and bog forests have been documented over many years. Results will 
be published with the projects and project developments like Eichenwald.org,
MoorForest and SwampForest.org in the future. The international platform 
will then be accessible at WetForest.org. For years we have been 
recommending the reforestation and expansion of peatlands, which can store 
more carbon CO2 than any other ecosystem, and to further reduce emissions, 
especially methane emissions, trees should be planted. Swamp or bog trees 
such as swamp oak or bald cypress grow relatively fast and together with 
organisms such as bacteria and fungi can stabilize the water bodies or wet 
soils, in some cases even bind methane as well as convert it. Wetlands without 
trees warm up faster than moist forests which cast shade and are much cooler 
than open areas. This is also a reason why wetlands release more methane, 
forest ecosystems suffer from droughts or extreme drought, store less carbon 
and can even release it - especially through forest fires and dried out or 
destroyed soils. Mixed forests and tree species that favor soil moisture also 
have a much lower risk of wildfire. Trees can cool the area by many degrees, 
even in urban areas, almost all cities should know this by now.
Air pollution, insecticides and pesticides are not only a threat to bees, they also
endanger many other species, especially near agricultural and livestock farms. 
Many of the trees and forests typically found in forestry are monocultures and 
conifers such as Douglas fir, spruce, pine, larch and fir - unfortunately, these 
do not provide much nectar. Nearly 80 percent of conifers were felled because 
of damage. At just under 70 percent, the share of damaged wood in total 
logging in 2019 was more than three times higher than in 2010. As already 
described in the article on the Leipzig Oak Park of Diversity project, strong tree
species such as oaks are also affected. Whether due to pests, powdery mildew 
or drought stress, the plants suffer greatly from the drought. Like many 
deciduous trees, oaks belong to the deep-rooted species, which fetch water 
from lower soil layers. What they do not need themselves, they release closer 
to the surface. This makes oaks good soil regulators, for example through 
pronounced symbioses with microorganisms and fungi. Oaks and other robust 
trees are suffering from climate change, as are many people and animals. Tree
damage and forest degradation result not only from fires, drought and heat 
waves, but also from fungal infestations, pests, snow breakage, storms, floods 
and environmental toxins - as well as air and water pollution. 
According to climate research, long-term studies and weather experts, extreme
drought is becoming normal in Europe in the summer. In spring, many places 
around the world also lack the water needed for healthy plant growth. Soils 
and forests can hold less water because the important reservoirs are not only 
dried out but damaged, i.e. the storage capacity is reduced and in some cases 
reduced for years. When middle and deeper soil layers harden, humus layers 
turn to dust or are destroyed, even a lot of rain will not help for the time being.
It then takes years of moderate rain and some plant growth until these soil 
layers are loosened and watered again. Trees, hedges and other plants that 
can form complex, strong and deep roots need several years to loosen medium
and deep soil layers again. This is why ground cover, soil conservation 
measures and deep rooting plants like thistles are so important. Greening 
Deserts has therefore started the project SoilRescue.eu and TrillionTrees.eu.
The destruction of soils by extensive agriculture, surface mining and drainage 
accelerates land degradation. A major problem is the hardening and water 
repellency of soils due to greasy or oily surfaces. Fats, oils, and waxes from 
plant parts fall to the ground with the particulate matter. Rain then cannot 
penetrate the top layer of soil and runs off superficially. Factors such as soil 
type, plant species, temperature and the degree of desiccation determine how 
water repellent the soil becomes. Often, soils cannot be loosened by plowing 
until after harvest. However, if the drought lasts for a long time, there is a risk 
of soil erosion by wind - especially in the fall there are more winds and storms.
We can all only hope that there is not another winter drought, as this would 
damage the soils for years to come. Already in 2018, more soil conservation 
measures should have been implemented, such as covering with ground 
covers, emergency irrigation with extra canals, ponds and rainwater storage 
above ground or underground. There are some other effective and innovative 
methods such as agrophotovoltaics, hemp cultivation, and desert bamboo.
Due to tree mortality during drought years, Germany is missing billions of 
trees; these cannot be replanted quickly by private and state forestry 
companies. This is compounded by more difficult conditions due to extreme 
weather and future droughts. Many of the new forest plantings since 2018 
have died, often far more than half of all young trees. Movements like Fridays 
for Future and school groups should be involved in a variety of reforestation 
and planting activities - such as collecting seeds, planting trees and 
wildflowers. Especially for children and young people, it makes sense to 
combine healthy exercise, nature and fresh air with meaningful actions for 
people and the environment. During the actions you can not only learn a lot 
but also get a better understanding of nature and the environment. Especially 
in this autumn there is a chance to collect millions of acorns for new 
plantations and to plant perennial trees. This can be done basically all winter 
long if it gets as mild as 2019, there were even weeks in January and February
with spring temperatures. 
Reforestation and other tree planting activities should be concentrated more in 
the fall and more in the spring with the current climate conditions. This will 
give the young trees more time to root deeper and have a higher chance of 
surviving in a new drought year. Of course, extra watering can be done, and 
often a simple plastic bottle with drip irrigation is all that is needed. This simple
irrigation technique is often seen in Africa and India. So you don't need to buy 
new products or techniques for watering trees, there is already enough plastic 
waste! SchoolsForest and 'Schools Reforest' is a project idea of Greening 
Deserts and together with other planting actions, in a community, could plant 
the areas with forest damage faster than you think.
Contributions and quotes of Greening Deserts founder: 
Agroforestry is one of the best ways for forestry and agriculture to adapt to 
climate change and extreme weather events such as droughts. It allows for 
more sustainable agriculture and ecological forestry, as an agroforestry using 
only trees as a type of nursery is also possible. #ClimateAdaptation
Climate protection, nature conservation and environmental protection is 
species protection, so it is also human protection. 
Europe should finally wake up and promote more hemp cultivation to support 
biodiversity, CO2 storage, ecosystem restoration and soil improvement - 
especially in drought regions and areas with deforested or degraded soils. More
sustainable agriculture is possible if hemp production increases in European 
countries. Healthy agriculture with hemp also requires no pesticides and very 
little fertilizer or some green manure and mineral fertilizers such as rock meal 
every year.
Greening Deserts and Trillion Trees Initiative has been informing EU and parties
for years about the problems of burning fossil fuels like wood and coal. Don't 
burn trees and forests, use hemp and rice straw for building, animal feed.... 
#agriculturalhemp.com #hempcultivation #industrialhemp.
Greening Deserts has launched new sustainable organic farming projects. One 
of them is called #Agrarhanf.de, a German project for industrial hemp that can
improve biodiversity, animal and soil health - and reduce carbon and methane 
emissions! #organic farming #hemp fodder #hemp pellets.
Hemp can help improve air, climate, soil and water quality. Hemp plants 
support biodiversity and protect forests. Global hemp cultivation can reduce 
climate change impacts such as deforestation, desertification and global 
warming.
Hemp paper like hemp toilet paper can reduce deforestation and global 
warming worldwide! Prevent forest dieback with #hemppaper, improve 
biodiversity and soils with hemp farming. #agricultural hemp #soil saver #soil 
conservation #climate saver #utility hemp. 
Feeding agricultural hemp to cows can lower their stress levels and improve 
their overall health. Hemp could replace corn, soy and other polluting crops - 
saving forests, soils and rainforests! Like sea grass, agricultural hemp can 
reduce methane emissions from cows!
Greening Deserts projects like agricultural hemp help farmers, growers and 
foresters with biodiversity, soil and climate protection by providing useful hints 
and advice, such as soil improvement, effective plant breeding, sustainable 
nutrition, cheap and environmentally friendly feed sourcing. 
Greening Deserts projects and facilities such as the Urban Greening and 
Vertical Farming Camp have achieved a breakthrough in drought research! 
Some indicator plants have been researched which can show early signs of 
drought. #DroughtResearch.com #droughtresearcher
For several years, Greening Deserts projects have been recommending politics 
and business to finally promote / encourage soil improvement with 
agricultural / industrial hemp on a large scale. See article Hemp cultivation in 
surface mining. Not much has happened to date. #agricultural hemp #hemp 
paper #hemp seed 
Many companies in Germany are dedicated to paper production, hemp paper 
production is largely absent. The machines or production is set on waste paper 
or pulp. German machinery and paper manufacturers do not produce hemp 
paper on a large scale. #hemppaper
We don't have much time left to stop global warming and the loss of 
biodiversity, of which cities and urban areas are a very large part. The simple 
formula applies: Urban Greening = Urban Cooling. That is why the projects like
Greening Camp and the private organization GlobalGreening.org, among 
others, were founded. Global greening is the only large-scale and nature-based
solution to noticeably cool the planet and particularly affected regions. With 
this, it may be possible to get back below 1.5 degrees by 2050.
We have briefed hundreds of climate scientists and researchers on the drought 
issue and why there are so few research facilities. Especially science parks in 
Africa that could use such professional facilities. So we decided to start a 
campus for #DroughtResearch.com! #DRR #RM #WM 
We hope that Europe and Germany will finally use more hemp for biodiversity 
and large-scale soil improvement and drought protection. Drought or drought 
tolerant plants and trees such as sweet chestnuts, oaks,.. can improve 
agroforestry and ecological forestry in the long term and sustainably.
*Acorn fattening, also commonly called eckerich in German-speaking areas, 
was a widespread agricultural practice in Central Europe until the 19th century.
Domestic pigs were driven into the woods to gorge themselves on acorns, 
beechnuts and chestnuts. The word "fattening" originally referred to the tree 
fruits used as cattle feed. Later it was restricted to acorns and beechnuts used 
as pig feed. Today, the word mast is generally used to refer to the "fattening" 
of animals. In addition, the seed production of oaks and beeches was called, 
for example, eckerich, ecker, acker or acker. From this, the acker was derived 
from an agricultural point of view. - Wikipedia 
The article version was published in October 2022 by Oliver Caplikas.