forests

King Charles III urges countries to follow Guyanas lead in protecting forests

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King Charles III urges countries to follow Guyana’s lead in protecting forests

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — King Charles III urged more countries to value nature during a visit to Guyana on Friday, praising its efforts to protect its vast forests while generating millions of dollars from carbon credit sales. King Charles III urges countries to follow Guyana’s lead in protecting forests Charles said finding ways to … Read more

Tree-of-heaven arrived in Pennsylvania as an ornamental in 1784; now it grows from Maine to southern California and spreads through disturbed forests

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Tree-of-heaven arrived in Pennsylvania in 1784 as an ornamental plant and has since spread across much of the country. (Wikimedia Commons)

The tree-of-heaven has a lovely name and a rough reputation. According to a U.S. Forest Service species review, it first arrived in Pennsylvania in 1784 as an ornamental plant. Today it grows in places from Maine to southern California, and has infested hundreds of acres of oak-hickory forest in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. So … Read more

In 1868, Hong Kong gifted Hawaii 8 axis deer in goodwill; their descendants now number about 60,000 and damage crops, native plants, and forests

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Eight axis deer arrived in 1868; their descendants now number about 60,000. (Wikimedia Commons)

Eight axis deer, a goodwill gift from Hong Kong, were released on Molokaʻi in 1868. Today their descendants number in the tens of thousands, and they eat crops and native plants and damage forests. According to the U.S. Geological Survey fact sheet, Hawaii’s native plants evolved without grazing animals, which can make them vulnerable to … Read more

North Carolina lost about 21% of its coastal forests between 1985 and 2021, roughly 64,220 hectares; researchers found the decline accelerated after 2010 as marsh, ghost forest and shrubs replaced trees

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North Carolina lost about 21% of its coastal forests between 1985 and 2021, roughly 64,220 hectares; researchers found the decline accelerated after 2010 as marsh, ghost forest and shrubs replaced trees

North Carolina’s coastal forests are retreating at a faster pace, with a new study finding that more than one-fifth of forest cover across part of the state’s coastal plain disappeared between 1985 and 2021. The findings, published in PLOS One and reported by North Carolina State University and Phys.org, show that forest loss accelerated significantly … Read more

In 1997, two young scientists bought 116 acres beside New Hampshire’s Bear Brook State Park; 25 years later, they placed the entire farm under conservation protection for wetlands, forests and wildlife

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In 1997, two young scientists bought 116 acres beside New Hampshire’s Bear Brook State Park; 25 years later, they placed the entire farm under conservation protection for wetlands, forests and wildlife

Bonk and Trowbridge had planned to conserve the property since they bought it Laura Bonk and Phil Trowbridge bought 116 acres of undeveloped land in Allenstown, New Hampshire, in 1997. The couple were young scientists and outdoor enthusiasts at the time. They recognised the importance of the property, which lies along the northern boundary of … Read more

Indonesia replanted mangroves on Flores in 2013; 10 years later, restored forests supported 10 fauna species and stored up to 70 Mg CO2 per hectare

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Indonesia replanted mangroves on Flores in 2013; 10 years later, restored forests supported 10 fauna species and stored up to 70 Mg CO2 per hectare

Indonesia’s Flores Island was the site of a mangrove reforestation project launched in 2013, with native seedlings planted along the coast between Ende and Sikka. Ten years later, researchers surveyed restored areas at Bangkoor, Kolisia and Talibura to assess plant and animal diversity, carbon sequestration and energy storage. The study recorded 10 mangrove species and … Read more

China expanded planted forests by about 35,000 sq km; 20 years of data show carbon uptake began declining within 15 years in 80% of areas

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China expanded planted forests by about 35,000 sq km; 20 years of data show carbon uptake began declining within 15 years in 80% of areas

Representative Image of the Yellow River Basin with expanding planted forests across dryland regions, viewed from above (AI Generated Image) China’s Yellow River Basin has gained roughly 35,000 square kilometres of planted forest over the past three decades, but a study of nearly 20 years of monitoring data suggests some of those forests begin losing … Read more

Denmark planted trees for carbon storage, but 21 years later natural forests proved more diverse while plantations captured carbon faster

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Denmark planted trees for carbon storage, but 21 years later natural forests proved more diverse while plantations captured carbon faster

Denmark’s long-running effort to create forests on former farmland has revealed a striking trade-off between carbon storage and biodiversity. After 21 years, scientists compared naturally regenerated forests with areas deliberately planted with trees. Plantations accumulated tree biomass and captured carbon faster, while naturally colonised forests developed greater diversity and more varied ecological structures. The University … Read more

Uruguay planted eucalyptus and pine forests across grasslands; 20 years later, scientists found rivers were carrying much less water

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Uruguay planted eucalyptus and pine forests across grasslands; 20 years later, scientists found rivers were carrying much less water

Across Uruguay, large areas of traditional grassland have been converted into managed forests, particularly plantations of fast-growing trees such as eucalyptus and pine. The change can bring economic benefits through timber production, but it also alters how water moves through the landscape. A 20-year paired-watershed study in northern Uruguay provides one of the clearest long-term … Read more

Brazil planted vast eucalyptus forests for pulp; 45 years later scientists found groundwater had fallen by 4.5 metres

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Brazil planted vast eucalyptus forests for pulp; 45 years later scientists found groundwater had fallen by 4.5 metres

Brazil’s eucalyptus industry was built on a simple promise: grow trees quickly, harvest them for pulp and create a renewable supply for the global paper industry. Over decades, however, the enormous plantations have transformed landscapes across parts of the country, raising concerns about what happens to water beneath the trees. In one eucalyptus-growing region of … Read more