Study hopeful for world's forests (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

A new technique for measuring the state of the world's forests shows the future may not be as bad as previously feared.

An international team of researchers say its Forest Identity study suggests the world could be approaching a "turning point" from deforestation.

The study measures timber volumes, biomass and captured carbon - not just land areas covered by trees.
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"We see prospects for an end to deforestation; we do not make a forecast but it is possible."
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The researchers found that when Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita reached $4,600 (£2,400), many nations experienced forest transition and saw an increase in forestry growing stock (volume of useable timber).


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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6143514.stm

[mainegreen]

1. That doesn't look good for rainforests though.

Sure the boreal forest are doing great though.

[YankeyMCC]

2. Just looking at that graphic

This sounds like an over optimistic view. The forests in the equatorial zones are more effective CO2 sinks, house more biodiversity and are generally more productive than the forest in all those green areas.

I hope there is some good news here and perhaps there is.

On Edit: It does look like they made some important measures:
"Now, we have included other components, including biomass and the amount of carbon stored."

But I suspect this is a key statement:
"But there was a risk that a misleading picture was being created by rich nations importing raw timber or wood-based products from poorer nations, rather than destroying their own woodlands."

Pardon my pessimism but I'm just very skeptical of good ecological news when we've (collective humanity) essentially ignored the major ecological issues.

And the point made in the article about wealthier societies having less pressure to cut down forests may be true but I hope it isn't taken as a reason to 'raise up' everyone to the standard of living of the US and western nations with the same consumption rates, that is definitely Not sustainable.

And no I don't mean we should hold the poor down and keep them poor, I mean we have to readjust the distribution of the standard of living.