Preamble

Due to the ongoing increase of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, it is necessary to reduce these gas and fine pollution- at the same time, due to the increase of pollution climate change is happening right in front of our eyes. It is a fact that the global rain patterns are already agitated and the amount of annual rain either increases or in most cases decrease. Latest research on the climate influx of natural forest systems shows, that these forests can support the rain as well as producing themselves to make rain more often possible. At the same time, they are binding the C of the CO2 and cleaning the air off the fine pollution as well. In Africa the homemade food cooking is in the most places based on the burning of timber or charcoal as it is called. This is leading to the fact that in most urban areas the forests are disappearing drastically. Additionally, the water supply for the population is running by boreholes. The ground water level on the other side is massively decreasing due to the absence or reduction of rainfall.

The following countermeasures need to be implemented, to partly avoid the increment in the ongoing climate change issues:

Increase natural forests as much as possible.
- Make land available.
- Plant local Trees as much as possible
- Try to keep the ground moisturized.
Prevent the forests from being cut for burning.
Replace the burning of timber/charcoal by other better solutions.
Produce alternative energy sources like green fuels.

Land use

The acquisition of traditional land owned by the local Chiefs is possible and in combination with this concept appreciated. Due to the latest international developments with the agreement to protect at least 30% of all land, it should be possible to get government owed land on good conditions for projects like this. We have already established communication with the Representative for about 20 Chiefs in Luapula Province of Zambia Mr. Joe Futa.

Charcoal Production

The easiest way to get to a money income in Zambia is the production of charcoal. With very minimum work input -this can create have a relatively high income. A bag of Charcoal can be sold for instance 120 Kwacha (Zambian Kwacha) = 6€. A cord of wood with charcoal gives at least 10 Bags. This indicates that within the work of some days an income of 1200K (ZMK)= 60€. To compare - A Bag of Corn gives you 200K. For this to take place, fertilizer is needed there is need to plant, harvest, the corn out and pack it. The fertilizer coast 900Kwacha a bag. That’s quite some investment and a long work intensive process. It is much easier to make charcoal and the market for the product is unlimited in Zambia. It is fair to say that what the general public is seeing as small-scale farmers are actually charcoal burners.

Forest Plantation and prevention of Cutting

The plantation of forests with different kind of trees and the supplement with additions such as a flower meadow is the key idea. The pine tree is supposed to be planted in a distance of about 3m and in the middle other trees can be placed. lt is also advisable to dig small holes where the tree is been planted to make the moistening of the soil during raining season more intensive. We embarked on a forest project one year ago on traditional land in Mansa with a 50 hectares plot. So far, we managed to plant 2500 Trees in ’2021 and 5000 in ‘2022. As of now about 90% of the last year (2022) planted trees are developing very well.

The prevention of the cutting of the trees in the forest is a key issue as well. What is the sense of trying to filter CO2 of the air and then turn the timber back to coal?

The nettle is a plant with exceedingly small needle like attachments. They cause a painful reaction on the skin. It takes hours to stop this pain. To protect the trees in the forest we are evaluating already the use of these plant. The idea is the fact that, there is always communication. Hopefully once it is planted, it will reduce unwanted people who would want to invade the forest to cut the trees down due to the negative painful experience.

Abbildung SEQ Abbildung \* ARABIC 1 Nettle after 3 Weeks in waterbed

Abbildung SEQ Abbildung \* ARABIC 2 Nettle / Urtica[1]

Besides of the uncomfortable pain it gives, the Nettle plant has other especially useful characteristics. It grows up to 1m or more and has big leaves. They cover the ground very well. So eventually also reduces the drying out of the ground sometime.

The nettle can be harvested. After placing into a water reservoir for about three weeks, the water turns into a very powerful fertilizer. As an issue to prevent the newly planted forest, it would be very ideal not to completely cover the ground with trees. To have every 100 or so meter a 20-meter path, could hopefully prevent the spread of fire if this happens. These parts can be used for agriculture production. To give small scale farmers an adequate piece of land which they can use and additionally make these natural fertilizer, agricultural use will be highly recommendable in the middle of the new forests. Of course, the farmers should try to protect the forest in return of their land use. As a side effect, the land escape will be reduced as well.

Since we are trying to make forests as much as possible wild and environmental active, it may be of interest to plant other trees like any type of fruit producing tree in it, such that animals can feed and what is left can be harvested.

In 20 Years or so the trees must be harvested. The use as construction timber follows the idea of CO2 capture, since in construction this timber will be stored for a long time.

Alternative Energy Source

Industrial alcohol can be produced basically based on any sugar containing fruits. We want to produce this with the fruits supposed to be harvested in the forest. It doesn’t not take long for fruit mouse with sugar and yeast to produce alcohol. If this has been distilled, industrial alcohol is the product. The distillation process needs heat. We are working on a technology to use the sun power to make this process possible without the use of any extra power or heat.

The alcohol can be called also ethanol, so it can be added to normal petrol and replace it partly. So it is a bio- fuel. But it can be used for cooking as well and initially replace the use of charcoal. If this happens, the price will eventually fall, and the market will subside. So, it becomes unattractive to produce more charcoal. The most attractive part is the fact that this is a would-be market product, which can be stored and does not need any particular means to be stored or transported. Instead of destroying the atmosphere, a biofuel will be one of the most attractive would market products, because of the wide agreement to beat the fossil fuels.

Climate Change Prevention

Forests as such are generation rain patterns by themselves. The more forest as a complete area is in existence the less chance of draught there is. The more a forest is biological active, the higher are the chances to store C of the CO2 since the biomass is increasing. As of now the major land mass in Northern Zambia can be considered very low bio active, there are not much of grown out trees, wild animals are nowhere to be seen and the diversity of the existing plants is extremely low. So yes, it is green at the moment, but very vulnerable to any draught, flooding and so on.

Mixed forest plantation with timing schedules and the implementation flower gras in combination with fruits should allow for animals to come back and enjoy along the local people.

Long term interest should be to generated as much as possible connected forest areas in a good bioactive shape.

Possible C - Capture

A forest for instance in Bavaria Germany und much colder weather conditions is capturing about 900kg CO2 within one year per hectare[1]. For our project time 40.000, 36.000.000kg/ year, in 20 Years 720.000.000 kg C of the CO2 as said under German cold conditions. In Zambia we are talking minimum 2 times this, so about 1.440.000.000 kg.

Figure 1 Pine tree CO2 Capture schedule Germany[2]

If we really get 20.000.000 Trees 20 years old than considering on this schedule, we have stored about 300kg CO2 per tree, which amounts to 6.000.000.000 kg CO2 capture. This is German weather conditions, we think due to the rain, heat, and the fertilization of the trees we may get much more than this.

Targets

We are assuming that the plantation of annual 1.000.000 Tress of Pine to start with would be possible.

On our 50 Hectare 100x100m = 10.000SQM its 500.000 SQM all together Farm, we are assuming the plantation on about 50% of the Land would grow up to 25.000 Pine Trees (10SQM average per Tree) plus another 5.000 Fruit trees. It does not make sense to plant all trees at one time. Experience shows that one go huge planation’s are extremely vulnerable to any type of condition changing. So, the Plantation of 3.000 Trees in one area at one go per year would be more than sufficient, as these trees are growing, within 3 years, the plantation of fruit trees can be started as well. Depending on the growing speed, especially after the application of the own grown fertilizer. The Pine or so trees are supposed to shade the fruit trees and maintains their own cool and moist micro climate which will be highly necessary for the plantation of fruit trees.

Figure 2 proposed Time schedule Plantation format.

So, we consider a total Area for a 20 Year 1.000.000 Trees project to come to be 20.000.000 Trees a 20 SQM per Tree so we look into 400.000.000 SQM or 40.000 Hectare land. The Mansa region in northern Zambia seems to be ideal for such a project. The land is not much developed and the population density is low. There is good rain fall and the soil conditions are very good to. The chance of finding hole year long open water is high. The area is about 300x300km in size, so the total landmass adds to about 9.000.000.000 SQM or 9.000.000 Hectares. We are looking into 0,4% of that available land for this project.

Time schedule

This Project will take up to 20 years of Time to be completely full grown and implemented. If we can get about 20 Spots with a site of about 2.000 hectares, a team of 20 People should be able to plant about 50.000 Trees right at the beginning of each rain season on different spots not more than 3.000 on one location at the area. The trees need maintenance, and the grow and control of the fertilizer plants are also necessary. The seeds of the trees can be self-grown, and the plantation spots need to be digged out before plantation as well. After 2 to 3 years the plantation of the fruit trees must start as well. After 20 Years the Pine trees can also be harvested, so each year a area can be cut and new trees have to be plated. The harvesting got the fruit trees has to be done as well, whereby now also logistical issues will come up. The accessibility of the locations needs also to be addressed based on the vegetation this will probably be a full year job. After the proposed 20 year schedule the project should run on its own, where trees have been harvested, new trees have to be planted more or less immediately. So the next generation can also anticipate on this environmental project.

Costing

Still working on this one

Income

The Pine trees are ready for harvesting after 15 to 20 years depending on their growing conditions. Now we are looking at a price about 120 USD / Tree at the sawmill. The project will gain a income based on the trees of about 2.400.000.000 USD. This is of course only the fact if the trees survive and not falling due to steeling, bad weather, draught and so on.

The Production of industrial alcohol based on an annual harvest of 50% of the anticipated output of 40.000T fruits should lead to a production of about 4.000T or 4.000.000 Litre. The income of estimated 0,20 USD / Litre within 20 Years should result into 16.000.000 USD income.

Fighting Poverty

The idea of plating fruit trees is addressing the issue of low malnutrition. People eating a very low carb food combination. They are also not eating too often. Mostly one meal a day or less. By plating fruit trees, local people can eat these fruits, so their food mix is getting better, they have better access to vitamins and starvation can be reduced. In addition, these fruits don’t need to be cooked. The more food they eat, which does not need char cola for preparation the better it is. We are looking into the plantation 4.000.000 fruit trees of an output of about 40.000.000 kg of fruits per year. There are more than enough fruits to feed people, feed animals and have sufficient quantities for industrial alcohol production. Even if people steal the fruits for selling, maybe they stop the char coal production, since they get better money for the fruits, and/or it is much easier to make an income like this. We are planning on paying them for the harvest of the fruits for the industrial alcohol production.

Applicant

The Project is proposed by a team of German and Zambian specialists. Mr. Mike Chitalu has organized the last 2 years the acquisition of Land in the Mansa area. Additionally, he also organized the seeds as well as the plantation on site. Parallel to the tree plantation beans and other plants have been added to the chart. Mr. Josef Futa installed the local connection to all the chiefs as the spokesperson so we can easily connect to the owners of the traditional land. The fertilizer plant has been tested at several spots in Zambia at the moment to establish fast as possible onsite experience in different weather conditions. Mr. M.Sc. Jan Böttcher has been involved in several environmental research projects in Zambia as well as in Germany. As the family has also been in ownership of bigger forest areas, he has himself experience in the plantation of forest even under extreme conditions like draughts and so on. The Project management in Zambia has also been handled by Mrs. B.Sc. Lizz Böttcher. Her talent for the smooth operation even under remote conditions is very good.

Conclusion

We are offering a plan to take care of a whole chain of problems. The implementation of a project like this will maybe be the answer to the future development of Zambia. We by now hope the implementation of the nettle, which is in South Africa very common, may not lead to problems in the local environment -as it is, we are running trials for this.

We are already implementing this strategy as well as asking of a wide support, as we are certain the plantation of a 50 hectare may not be enough to achieve our goals of helping our world out of the biggest ongoing disaster.