reforestation
ree-for-uh-STAY-shun
/ˌriːˌfɒrɪˈsteɪʃən/
The process of replanting an area with trees.
Specifically refers to planting trees in an area that was previously forested (as opposed to 'afforestation', which is planting where there were no trees before).
The story behind the word. Formed by adding the prefix 're-' (meaning again) to 'forest'. It emerged as a technical term in the 19th century as people realized the need to replace harvested timber.
Word relationships
- deforestation: The removal of trees from a forest.
Commonly confused with
- afforestation: Reforestation is replanting; afforestation is planting a new forest where none existed before.
Word family
- reforest (verb): To plant trees in an area again.
Collocations
- massive reforestation
- reforestation project
- promote reforestation
Example sentences
- "Reforestation is a key strategy for absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere." Climate policy
- "The government has pledged to fund a massive reforestation project in the northern provinces." News report
Memory hook
RE-forestation = RE-planting the forest. RE-forest = RE-do the forest.
When not to use
Don't use for planting a single tree in a backyard; it implies a larger scale effort.
Fun facts
- The Great Green Wall is a massive reforestation project in Africa aimed at stopping the expansion of the Sahara Desert.
Related words
Explore more words
deforest, Deforestation, restore, remediate, remediation, restoration
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