Nobel laureate has 1 billion tree plan

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai introduced a plan in Kenya to plant 1 billion trees in 2007 to fight the effects of climate change.

Maathai and Monaco Prince Albert II announced the plan Wednesday during a U.N. Environment Program meeting. The tree-planting project -- called "Plant for the Planet" -- is supported by the UNEP and the World Agroforestry Center, which has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

"We know the science of trees and we have the data," said Maathai, who won the Peace Prize in 2004. "What we need is to commit ourselves to action."

The idea is to help replace tress lost to deforestation. The loss of those plants is considered a factor in the increase of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere.

"Anybody can dig a hole, plant a tree and make sure it survives," Maathai said.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International

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