The Cheapest Way to Restore a Tropical Forest
A study in Nature Ecology & Evolution mapped the costs and benefits of natural forest regeneration across 7.49 million square kilometres of tropical land. If all land regrows, researchers estimate 9.57 gigatonnes of carbon accumulation over 30 years and a 31% reduction in extinction risk for forest-dependent species. The University of Queensland team estimates costs at up to 96% below conventional tree planting, focusing mostly on removing invasive species and limiting disturbances. This map highlights areas with low cost, high carbon, and high biodiversity, called holistic hotspots. These only cover 9.67% of the study region, primarily in Indonesia, Madagascar, the Philippines, Mexico, and Malaysia. Carbon gains peak in the Amazon basin, while biodiversity gains run highest in the Afrotropics.A study in Nature Ecology & Evolution mapped the costs and benefits of natural forest regeneration across 7.49 million square kilometres of tropical land. If all land regrows, researchers estimate 9.57 gigatonnes of carbon accumulation over 30 years and a 31% reduction in extinction risk for forest-dependent species. The University of Queensland team estimates costs at up to 96% below conventional tree planting, focusing mostly on removing invasive species and limiting disturbances. This map highlights areas with low cost, high carbon, and high biodiversity, called holistic hotspots. These only cover 9.67% of the study region, primarily in Indonesia, Madagascar, the Philippines, Mexico, and Malaysia. Carbon gains peak in the Amazon basin, while biodiversity gains run highest in the Afrotropics.Expert summary pending. Showing the newcomer version.