A multi-disciplinary perspective to nuance the narrative of tree planting as a nature-based solution

From global nature conservation policies to carbon off-set private initiatives, the focus on tree promotion, and tree planting in particular, as a nature-based solution to global environmental crises such as climatic change and biodiversity loss dominates the current discourse. Yet, this fixation on trees does not reflect a scientific consensus on the benefits of tree planting across diverse ecosystems and can have problematic implications from both an ecological and socio-political perspective. In this paper, we synthesise cross-disciplinary insights to challenge the common storyline of tree planting as a one-size-fits-all, nature-based solution to climate change and biodiversity loss. We discuss the appeal of tree planting as a panacea, and how this conflicts with reality, in which a diverse range of stakeholders represent various perspectives and pursue a plurality of goals. We assess the communicative aspects of trees and forests, exploring the symbolic power of a ‘tree’ and how practices in remote-sensing and scientific modelling reinforce the dominant tree planting narrative. We then reflect on the ecological and human contexts that need to be considered in planning of tree planting and how historical ecological baselines continue to influence ecosystem management goals. Finally, we explore how current conservation narratives value forest over other kinds of nature and demonstrate the important – but overlooked – role that non-forest landscapes such as open and semi-open vegetation play in climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation. We conclude that we need to rethink the dominant tree-planting narrative, being mindful and critical of the socio-political drivers behind tree planting initiatives and potential biases, and allow ecological and sociocultural contexts to inform tree-promotion efforts and appropriateness.