Widespread Unquantified Conversion of Old Boreal Forests to Plantations
Abstract Across the boreal biome, clear‐cutting of old, previously non clear‐cut forests with high naturalness followed by tree planting or seeding is a major land use change. However, how much previously uncut forest has been converted to plantations remains unquantified. We combine Swedish nationa...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Earth's Future |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EF003221 |
| _version_ | 1797393226765697024 |
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| author | Anders Ahlström Josep G. Canadell Daniel B. Metcalfe |
| author_facet | Anders Ahlström Josep G. Canadell Daniel B. Metcalfe |
| author_sort | Anders Ahlström |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Across the boreal biome, clear‐cutting of old, previously non clear‐cut forests with high naturalness followed by tree planting or seeding is a major land use change. However, how much previously uncut forest has been converted to plantations remains unquantified. We combine Swedish national databases on clear‐cuts and forest inventories to show that at least 19% of all clear‐cuts since 2003 have occurred in old forests that were most likely not previously cut and planted or seeded. Old forests have been cut and lost at a steady rate of ∼1.4% per year for the same period, and at this rate they will disappear by the 2070s. There is further evidence that this type of unreported forest conversion is occurring across much of the world's boreal forest. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:59:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d2496e493adc45a2bbf1ec73f78e9af5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2328-4277 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:59:09Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Earth's Future |
| spelling | doaj.art-d2496e493adc45a2bbf1ec73f78e9af52023-12-12T22:01:38ZengWileyEarth's Future2328-42772022-11-011011n/an/a10.1029/2022EF003221Widespread Unquantified Conversion of Old Boreal Forests to PlantationsAnders Ahlström0Josep G. Canadell1Daniel B. Metcalfe2Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science Lund University Lund SwedenGlobal Carbon Project CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Canberra ACT AustraliaDepartment of Ecology and Environmental Science Umeå University Umeå SwedenAbstract Across the boreal biome, clear‐cutting of old, previously non clear‐cut forests with high naturalness followed by tree planting or seeding is a major land use change. However, how much previously uncut forest has been converted to plantations remains unquantified. We combine Swedish national databases on clear‐cuts and forest inventories to show that at least 19% of all clear‐cuts since 2003 have occurred in old forests that were most likely not previously cut and planted or seeded. Old forests have been cut and lost at a steady rate of ∼1.4% per year for the same period, and at this rate they will disappear by the 2070s. There is further evidence that this type of unreported forest conversion is occurring across much of the world's boreal forest.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EF003221land useboreal forestsnatural forestsprimary forestsharvestmonitoring |
| spellingShingle | Anders Ahlström Josep G. Canadell Daniel B. Metcalfe Widespread Unquantified Conversion of Old Boreal Forests to Plantations Earth's Future land use boreal forests natural forests primary forests harvest monitoring |
| title | Widespread Unquantified Conversion of Old Boreal Forests to Plantations |
| title_full | Widespread Unquantified Conversion of Old Boreal Forests to Plantations |
| title_fullStr | Widespread Unquantified Conversion of Old Boreal Forests to Plantations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Widespread Unquantified Conversion of Old Boreal Forests to Plantations |
| title_short | Widespread Unquantified Conversion of Old Boreal Forests to Plantations |
| title_sort | widespread unquantified conversion of old boreal forests to plantations |
| topic | land use boreal forests natural forests primary forests harvest monitoring |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EF003221 |
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