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Should tree plantations count toward reforestation goals? It’s complicated

Submitted by meghavi on

Matthew Fagan

Recent publication on pantropical plantation expansion by LCLUCer Mathew Fagan got Media coverage in Mongabay.

 

Highlights 

  • Globally, tree-planting projects are becoming all the rage, but many are counting on old habits of planting monoculture plantations and calling them forests.
  • Still, some researchers say there are ways to make plantation trees aid in actual restoration projects, including innovative projects in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil.
  • Reforestation and restoration projects will require monitoring and scrutiny to make sure they are living up to their commitments in regard to both climate and biodiversity.

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Aerial view of a landscape containing native forest in the process of natural regeneration in the understory of eucalyptus plantation (south of the image), regeneration under dead standing eucalyptus trees (center-west), regeneration under 50% dead standing eucalyptus trees (center-east) and regeneration with complete removal of eucalyptus (center). The area is located in “Parque das Neblinas”, in Mogi das Cruzes-SP and demonstrates the potential of using the natural regeneration technique to form “new forests”. Image courtesy of Paulo Guilherme Molin/Federal University of São Carlos.

Tuesday, September 13, 2022