We’re not the only ones who think so! The members of one online community, ‘Trees Growing Up,’ share some of the most powerful before-and-after photos of places where saplings were planted and grew into mighty trees, improving the area. Today, we’re featuring the best pics. Scroll down to take a peek! Meanwhile, go hug some trees during your lunch break—we’re sure they’d appreciate it. Bored Panda wanted to learn a bit more about before-and-after shots and taking photos in nature, so we got in touch with Ohio-based photographer Dominic Sberna. He was kind enough to share some of his expertise with us. “I’m a big believer in the ‘Leave No Trace’ ideal and movement. It’s fine to take modern necessities into nature, but do not leave them there,” he said, urging everyone to respect the environment that they’re in. “The area of nature you are photographing should be left as you’ve found it,” Dominic told Bored Panda. “Your photos should mimic this ideal if you want to capture a scene authentically.” He said that the essence is to capture these images as closely as possible. This includes doing your research and lining up the shot to match the angles of the earlier photos. “Sometimes, areas have really changed and it can be a challenge. So long as you’ve done your due diligence, I’m sure the results will be great,” Dominic told Bored Panda. Forest bathing, known as shinrin-yoku in Japanese, is a practice where you spend time in a forest listening to the sounds of birds and insects, touching trees, smelling flowers, breathing in the fresh air, and generally enjoying your surroundings. Reportedly, this improves your immune system, improves your mental health and mood, and decreases your blood pressure and stress levels. Our ancestors lived deeply connected to nature. Instinctively, we yearn for the same things. Being in harmony with nature and civilization is the balance that many people, including us, look for. Spending time in nature has a calming effect, reduces stress, and is generally far more peaceful than being surrounded by the 24/7 hustle and bustle of city life. From a very personal perspective, there’s nothing like an hour-long stroll among the trees to clear your head. The Guardian reports that deforestation is on the rise once again. “The destruction of global forests increased in 2023, and is higher than when 140 countries promised three years ago to halt deforestation by the end of the decade,” Environment Editor Damian Carrington writes. In 2021, 140 countries backed the 2030 zero deforestation pledge at the United Nations Cop26 climate summit. In 2023 alone, 6.4 million hectares (that’s 16 million acres) of forest were razed in 2023 according to a recent report by Climate Focus, a research group. Deforestation spiked sharply in Indonesia, as well as Bolivia due to demands for beef, soy, palm oil, paper, and nickel. Political changes in these countries contributed to the loss of forest cover, too. Climate Focus notes that voluntary cuts on deforestation weren’t working, so stronger regulation was needed, as well as more funding for forest protection. What’s more, other factors that can help reduce deforestation include strengthening the land rights of Indigenous people, as well as reducing the demand for certain commodities. In early October of this year, the European Commission proposed a one-year delay, in order to phase in the system, after protests from nations like Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, and the Ivory Coast. There were plans to plant an area of forest of 30,000 hectares (the size of Birmingham) in the UK by 2025. Though there’s been an increase in woodland creation in the UK over the past year, the original target wasn’t met. Thousands of hectares of woodland remain unplanted. A big part of why the content the members of the group share is so impactful is because there’s contrast and comparison between the photos. There’s something deeply satisfying about revisiting the same location after a long while. It’s a trip through time. All through the lens of flourishing greenery! We’d love to hear all of your thoughts on this. If you have a free moment or two, share your thoughts in the comments section, at the very bottom of this post. Oh, and if you happen to know what happened to the Entwives, be sure to let Treebeard know! Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Please use high-res photos without watermarks Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
