Logged forests can still have ecological value – if not pushed too far

Researchers from around the world, including AMU biologist Jonathan Parrett, have analysed data from 127 studies to reveal ‘thresholds’ for when logged rainforests lose the ability to sustain themselves. The results, published today in Nature, could widen the scope of which forests are considered ‘worth’ conserving, but also show how much logging degrades forests beyond the point of no return. While no level of forest degradation through logging was too low to have an impact on the ecosystem, the results showed that forests that had lost less than 29% of ‘biomass’ (total weight of organic matter) retained relatively high biodiversity and ecological value, and, if left alone, were likely to recover (Photo Zoe G Davies).

Full paper: Thresholds for adding degraded tropical forest to the conservation estate