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Forests must be restored. But how and where?<\/p>\n
For the first time, researchers have mapped out a global area spanning nearly 2.2 million square kilometers (830,000 square miles) \u2014 an expanse roughly the size of Greenland \u2014 where tropical forests have the greatest potential to grow back on their own. If restored, these forests could sequester 23 billion metric tons of carbon over 30 years, equivalent to nearly half the world\u2019s annual greenhouse gas emissions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNatural regeneration is one of our best strategies to quickly and effectively restore forests. Nature is resilient \u2014 when given the chance,\u201d said Starry Sprenkle-Hyppolite, study co-author and Conservation International restoration scientist. \u201cThis research for the first time allows countries to pinpoint exactly where they should focus their efforts for maximum impact.\u201d<\/p>\n
Researchers found that forests in Brazil, Indonesia, China, Mexico and Colombia hold the most promise, accounting for more than half of the world\u2019s natural regeneration potential.<\/p>\n
But natural regeneration won\u2019t work everywhere \u2014 the map is key to ensuring reforestation efforts are targeted and effective, Sprenkle-Hyppolite said. To create it, she and other researchers used a range of factors. They analyzed where natural regeneration already occurs and looked at climate and rainfall patterns, proximity to intact forests, and socioeconomic trends, including local communities\u2019 livelihoods.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFar and away, proximity to intact forests is the most important indicator of whether a forest will be able to grow back on its own,\u201d Sprenkle-Hyppolite said. \u201cEven just several hundred feet away from a forest, the likelihood of natural regrowth drops significantly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tropical forests tend to grow back relatively quickly \u2014 be it from natural disasters like hurricanes or human activities like clear-cutting \u2014 they just need the right growing conditions. With plenty of seeds and sun, the edges of a forest are a prime location for regrowth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cInside an intact forest, there\u2019s little sun and it\u2019s cooler \u2014 some saplings in an intact forest could be 50 years old, waiting for their moment in the sun,\u201d Sprenkle-Hyppolite said. \u201cThe forest edge is perfect for trees to thrive. There\u2019s sun and shade, and some temperature regulation \u2014 optimal conditions for trees to grow.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With minimal human help (like clearing out weeds), natural regeneration can bring big benefits.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The study\u2019s findings are already being put into practice, Sprenkle-Hyppolite said. Conservation International is planning a pilot project to target low-productivity cattle grazing lands that overlap with areas that have high potential for natural regeneration.<\/p>\n
This pilot is just one example of how the study\u2019s findings can be tailored to benefit both nature and the local communities that rely on it. For reforestation efforts to succeed in the long term, it\u2019s essential to understand landowners\u2019 needs and the economic factors driving their decisions, Sprenkle-Hyppolite said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe clock is ticking to halt and reverse deforestation \u2014 and forests don\u2019t grow back overnight,\u201d she said. \u201cWe need cost-effective and scalable solutions like this so forests can grow and stay healthy and continue to provide the food, water and economic opportunity that humanity needs to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n