Published in Science · View the paper (DOI)
Tropical forests worldwide have disappeared rapidly due to deforestation. However, they can recover quickly on abandoned lands, with key forest functions rebounding within a decade. The study found that tropical forests can regain 78% of their old-growth values in just 20 years and near-total recovery occurs in less than 10 years.
Coverage from 2 institutions
- Tropical forests can recover quickly on reclaimed agricultural lands American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) · Dec 9, 2021 · first to report
- Researchers: If left alone, tropical forests can recover on their own surprisingly fast Clemson University · Feb 8, 2022