Skip to main content
WCS
Menu
Library
Library Catalog
eJournals & eBooks
WCS Research
Archives
Research Use
Finding Aids
Digital Collections
WCS History
WCS Research
Research Publications
Science Data
Services for WCS Researchers
Archives Shop
Bronx Zoo
Department of Tropical Research
Browse By Product
About Us
FAQs
Intern or Volunteer
Staff
Donate
Search WCS.org
Search
search
Popular Search Terms
WCS History
Library and Archives
Library and Archives Menu
Library
Archives
WCS Research
Archives Shop
About Us
Donate
en
fr
Title
The exceptional value of intact forest ecosystems
Author(s)
Watson, James E. M.;Evans, Tom;Venter, Oscar;Williams, Brooke;Tulloch, Ayesha;Stewart, Claire;Thompson, Ian;Ray, Justina C.;Murray, Kris;Salazar, Alvaro;McAlpine, Clive;Potapov, Peter;Walston, Joe;Robinson, John G.;Painter, Michael;Wilkie, David;Filardi, Christopher;Laurance, William F.;Houghton, Richard A.;Maxwell, Sean;Grantham, Hedley;Samper, Cristián;Wang, Stephanie;Laestadius, Lars;Runting, Rebecca K.;Silva-Chávez, Gustavo A.;Ervin, Jamison;Lindenmayer, David
Published
2018
Publisher
Nature Ecology & Evolution
Published Version DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-018-0490-x
Abstract
As the terrestrial human footprint continues to expand, the amount of native forest that is free from significant damaging human activities is in precipitous decline. There is emerging evidence that the remaining intact forest supports an exceptional confluence of globally significant environmental values relative to degraded forests, including imperilled biodiversity, carbon sequestration and storage, water provision, indigenous culture and the maintenance of human health. Here we argue that maintaining and, where possible, restoring the integrity of dwindling intact forests is an urgent priority for current global efforts to halt the ongoing biodiversity crisis, slow rapid climate change and achieve sustainability goals. Retaining the integrity of intact forest ecosystems should be a central component of proactive global and national environmental strategies, alongside current efforts aimed at halting deforestation and promoting reforestation.
Keywords
Conservation biology;Environmental impact
Access Full Text
A full-text copy of this article may be available. Please email the
WCS Library
to request.
Back
PUB24258