Forestry articles from across Nature Portfolio

The highly biodiverse Brazilian Atlantic Forest has a long history of deforestation and only a small portion of the original forest remains. This study examines the spatial and temporal patterns of this deforestation to understand the effectiveness of current laws at curbing forest loss.

Import restrictions on deforestation-linked commodities, like oil crops, could cut land-use emissions but risk emissions leakage globally and economic losses for producers. Direct forest protection may be more effective than import restrictions.

Despite commitments to community rights and livelihoods, evidence of positive social outcomes from protected areas in developing countries remains scant. Bridging this gap demands a cultural shift that commits to community rights, robust evaluation and substantially increased financing to ensure that the 30 × 30 target is achieved through resilient and socially just conservation.

Wooden bioresources are key materials for the transition to a circular bioeconomy, yet widespread adoption, for example in construction, still lags. Growth is stalled by policy gaps, resource debates and limited public confidence. A blueprint for global initiatives can help realize the full potential of bio-based materials.

Not all wildfires can be averted, but data, models and collaborations can help to chart a course to a fire-resilient future.

High-altitude planting could buffer the trees, and the migratory butterflies that roost in them, against the effects of climate change.

As wildfires become more frequent and severe, efforts to improve the resilience of forests must be grounded in data and led by Indigenous Peoples.

The greenhouse gas abatement costs for two forest restoration methods — natural regeneration and plantations — are estimated by integrating observations on the costs of reforestation projects with other biophysical and economic data. This analysis reveals that a mix of reforestation methods offers greater potential to mitigate climate change at low cost than previously estimated.