Much of China’s tree cover gains consist of low-height, sparse and/or scattered plantations

 

Photo credit: Science Daily

Shrubs and trees in China’s western deserts are shown.

Credit: Xu Jianchu

New look at satellite data questions scale of China’s afforestation success

Date:

May 3, 2017

Source:

World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

Summary:

China has invested massive resources into halting and reversing tree cover loss. However, ‘planting trees is not the same as gaining forests.’ It is likely that much of China’s tree cover gains consist of low-height, sparse and/or scattered plantations, which are unlikely to provide the same benefits as natural forests, such as diverse habitats for wildlife, prevention of soil erosion, and timber resources.

Read the full article: Science Daily