New growth is saving the Amazon rainforest through renewed vegetation that addresses the problem of deforestation. These ‘secondary forests’ have been undervalued, even overlooked or ignored, by scientists, especially those who want to stick to the buzzwords of irreversible deforestation and unabated forest denudation. A UN study says ‘the ecological importance of these new forests which are growing dramatically all over the world is undervalued.’
While these secondary forests may not be as species-rich as primary rainforests with giant centuries-old trees, the value of this new growth of vegetation should not be undermined. Also, these secondary forests are proof that previously denuded forests manage to recover from their overexploitation. It seems that ‘the consequences of deforestation are not as devastating as environmentalists have been preaching for years.’
American biologist Joe Wright explains that “there are more secondary than primary rain forests in most tropical countries today,” and that “on the whole, the amount of land covered by vegetation is stable.” The scenario is logical: urbanization has led to abandoned fields and farms where new vegetation takes over naturally.
While 17 percent of the Brazilian Amazon rainforest has been deforested, many of these locations have become overgrown with new vegetation. This ‘secondary vegetation provides Brazil with a significant benefit’ by way of helping capture carbon dioxide and curb global warming.
Secondary forests are a natural phenomenon and consequence.
Via salon.com
