Joined-up thinking on forests 'essential for planet'

Restoring and protecting forests is crucial if humanity is to stop the worst effects of climate breakdown and halt the extinction of rare species.

- Helena Horton

Researchers have been concerned, however, that actions to capture carbon, restore biodiversity and find ways to support the livelihoods of the people who live near the forests can be at odds with each other.

This is a problem in many regions which have important forests, as the people living nearby often have precarious livelihoods that can be made much worse if the land they use to survive is encroached on.

Now work led by Dr Trisha Gopalakrishna, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has found that with careful thought, all three important outcomes can be delivered - by setting up "integrated" plans, where all three goals are combined.

The plans could deliver over 80% of the benefits in all three areas at once, with socioeconomically disadvantaged groups benefiting disproportionately from this approach.

The researchers used a framework called Nature's Contribution to People (NCP) to show how restoring nature and biodiversity can help local communities to thrive if it is done thoughtfully.