Scientists urge greater protection of Brazil’s secondary forests

• New research indicates that even after 40 years of recovery, fast-growing tropical forests in Brazil house far fewer species and sequester less carbon than their primary counterparts.
• The study finds the most-recovered secondary forests surveyed had around 80 percent the biodiversity and carbon of nearby primary forests.
• To allow greater recovery of secondary forests and the wildlife and carbon they house, the researchers say policies should be put in place to better protect these forests and give them the time they need to mature properly.
• However, they caution that enacting policy is only one part of the solution and urge more funding and attention be given to monitoring and enforcement of forest protection regulations.

Source : Global Forest Reporting Network