Climate breakdown and the mass felling of trees has made the world’s forests significantly shorter and younger overall, an analysis shows. The trend is expected to continue, scientists say, with worrying consequences for the ability of forests to store carbon and mitigate the climate emergency and for the endangered wildlife that depends on rich, ancient forests. The analysis of more than 150 previous studies found the death rate of trees has increased, doubling in North America and significantly increasing in the Amazon, for example. The impact of forest destruction had cut the area of old growth forest by a third since 1900, the researchers said.
By Damian Carrington. The Guardian. May 28, 2020.
