The Ancient Dance Between Grasslands and Forests That Keeps Our Planet in Balance

Grasslands and forests have been engaged in an ancient dance for millions of years—one that shapes the ecosystems of our planet and maintains its delicate balance. While forests dominate with their towering trees and dense canopies, grasslands thrive under open skies, sustaining vast herds of animals and playing a crucial role in climate regulation. This natural interplay is not a battle but a harmonious relationship, driven by fire, grazing animals, and climate conditions. Yet, in our rush to combat climate change, we risk disrupting this balance with well-intentioned but misguided efforts, such as mass tree-planting initiatives in places where grasslands should thrive.

Grasslands are often underestimated in their ecological importance. These vast, open landscapes store massive amounts of carbon underground, reflect sunlight to help cool the planet, and support an incredible diversity of life. Unlike forests, which store carbon in trunks and branches that can be released in wildfires or logging, grasslands lock carbon deep in the soil, where it remains for centuries. They also depend on natural fires and grazing animals to maintain their health, preventing encroachment by trees that could disrupt their unique ecosystem. Understanding this delicate balance is critical to protecting these landscapes and ensuring that conservation efforts do not unintentionally harm them.

Despite their crucial role in global ecosystems, grasslands are disappearing at an alarming rate. Well-meaning reforestation projects often prioritize tree planting over ecosystem preservation, failing to recognize that not all landscapes are meant to be forests. When trees are planted in ancient grasslands, they can disrupt native biodiversity, alter soil composition, and reduce the land’s ability to store carbon effectively. By recognizing the importance of both grasslands and forests and fostering conservation efforts that respect their unique roles, we can help maintain the natural balance that has sustained life on Earth for millennia.
If we want to truly combat climate change and preserve biodiversity, we must shift our perspective and appreciate the intricate dance between grasslands and forests. Instead of focusing solely on planting trees, we must ensure that conservation efforts align with the natural ecology of each region. By protecting the world’s remaining grasslands and supporting responsible land management practices, we can sustain the ecosystems that have nurtured life for millions of years and keep our planet in balance for generations to come.

We love fire. But our fires are not like this. We, the grasses of the world, do not burn this way. Our grassland and savanna fires are smaller, too puny to climb the trees to light their crowns. 

We grasses look delicate and seemingly insignificant. No strong tree trunks for us. But you would be unwise not to understand our impact. Millions of years ago, when we first began to spread, forests covered most of the land. They were our main adversaries, blocking out the sunlight.

Have you ever wondered how we, who cannot tolerate shade (even our own shade) can compete with towering trees? Well, we depend on powerful allies.  

Our first ally is fire! Without fire, we have a problem. The more we grow, the more leaves we make, but the more leaves we make the more we shade our own new growth. That’s where fire comes to our rescue. We offer ourselves up to fire – it devours our dry fuel. Grassland fires aren’t hot enough to burn down those giant trees, but they can burn their seedlings and that makes space for us to multiply. We resprout very fast after fire and regrow faster than anyone else. In a healthy grassy ecosystem, fires burn us every few years.      

Fire was not our only ally. We offered ourselves up as food to animals, drawing them out of the forests to discover the joys of light, infinite food and the space to see and flee from predators. While herbivores ate us, they also ate our adversaries, and trampled the tender tree saplings. Animals began to multiply and congregate in great herds, preferring our habitat and helping us to spread. 

Together with the fires and the herd animals, we created a new and marvelous environment, with wildflowers such as the world has never seen before, and a great diversity of creatures that love our open habitats, mammals, birds, reptiles, butterflies, ants, termites, grasshoppers thriving in the sunlight.  We even allowed trees into our savannas. Compatible trees, which follow our rules, letting the light through and able to cope with fire and herbivores.  

But what of our forest adversaries? Well, over time, we pushed them back, and they pushed us back. Forest margin trees evolved that protect the forests from our grassland fires. So we began to reach a kind of natural balance, a mosaic of our sunlit world and their shaded one.   

But now you have plans to plant a trillion trees to offset your carbon footprint, seemingly unaware of the threat to our ancient grasslands. Have you forgotten that we nurtured your ancestors, when they began to stand upright to see the view? Without us, there would be no herds of horses, cattle, sheep to feed and clothe you, nor the grains, the cereals, that feed your cities. Have you forgotten the diversity of sun-loving life in our open landscapes? Do you realize that our grasslands also store carbon in our soils and reflect more sunlight back into space than forests, helping to cool the earth?  

Perhaps through understanding, through wise stewardship, you will help both grasslands and forests to coexist, and appreciate the unique environments and rich ecosystems both have to offer. 

William Bond is a South African ecologist and a world authority on the ecology, biogeography and evolution of open (non-forested) ecosystems. He has helped show the ancient origins of these systems contradicting the notion that they are the result of deforestation.

William has explored both physical and biotic controls on the distribution of these systems using a variety of tools, from remote sensing and global vegetation models, to field studies and glasshouse experiments. He has revolutionized the basic conceptual framework of global biogeography by showing how animals and fire interact with climate to shape the distribution and structure of terrestrial ecosystems. His work has policy implications challenging global plans to afforest large areas of open ecosystems for carbon capture.

William is an Emeritus Professor in Biological Sciences at the University of Cape Town. He served as Chief Scientist for the South African Environmental Observation Network from 2014-2018. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa and a Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA.

“a very wonderful eye opener film this was. I appreciate the narration and the way you’ve presented it. It has all the potential to convey a very wonderful message to this world. Thankyou for making such videos. keep it up!”

“I love how this is narrated as the prospective of the grass”

“What a wonderful and very well told story! The visual implementation is fantastic!”

“I have just listened to this story again …. just wish more people (especially those in authority but also many well-intended ordinary people and organizations) could have the chance of hearing it … especially those who think that planting trees will solve our carbon issues.”

“Kudos to the creators of this very well-made video. Love it.”

“One of the most beautiful , educational and interesting documentary I’ve ever seen.”

“I really enjoyed watching it, reminding us that carbon sequestration is not the only thing we want. We want ecosystem integrity.”

“I really like this message; ever since I read up on what there being a mosaic of grasslands, shrublands, and woodlands truly means, that open environments are just as important as closed forests, I’ve become aware that simply planting trees isn’t enough. We’ve got to pay attention to the natural environments and how to best restore their processes.”

“That was very beautiful. I sure learned a lot. I love the narration.”

“Awesome video.”

“Much enjoyed and an eye and mind opener.”

For more information from this speaker, visit his website.

Music by:

• “Abandoned and Lost” – Evocativ
• “Epic Ancient City” – Immersive Music
• “Stockings By The Fireplace” – Taizo Audio
• “Go Home” – Kevin Maison