Forest Conservation Requires Prioritisation of People, Not Just Trees

Conserving forests is more urgent than ever as global temperatures soar and biodiversity declines at an alarming rate. Amid growing calls for collective action to save the ‘lungs of the planet’, tree planting has gained significant attention as a relatively simple and affordable ‘nature-based’ solution to help the environment.

Even as large-scale tree planting gains traction as a response to climate change, some experts urge caution. They argue that tree planting alone is insufficient, and that an overreliance on it risks underestimating the scale and complexity of the environmental crises at hand.

Researchers recommend a more practical approach that focuses on empowering local communities to manage forests. By involving indigenous people and providing them with opportunities to earn a living while protecting the environment, we can conserve biodiversity and reduce carbon emissions more effectively.

The need to balance conservation

The global movement to expand protected areas, driven by climate anxiety, has resulted in ambitious targets like the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022). The plan aims to conserve 30% of the Earth’s land and water by 2030, known as‘Target Rural tropical landscapes are critical in these conservation efforts owing to their rich biodiversity and high potential for removing carbon from the atmosphere.