Old-Growth Forests Help Combat Climate Change
Thursday, September 11, 2008 - 10:35
in Earth & Climate
Rare is the forest untouched by man. Whether logging or clearing land for agriculture, the bulk of the world's forests have fallen to crops, cattle or younger trees. According to some estimates, less than 10 percent of forests worldwide can be considered old growth, or undisturbed for more than a century. And that is not just a tragedy for the plants and animals that require mature forests--it is also a tragedy for the world's climate, according to a study published today in Nature. [More]