A new study published in Nature reveals the significant conservation value of degraded tropical forests. The study analysed the impact of logging intensity on the individual occurrence patterns of over 1,600 taxa in Sabah, Malaysia, using data from a wide range of sources, including Assoc Prof. Eleanor Slade's data from Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystems (SAFE) project.
The study identifies two important conservation thresholds: lightly logged forests retain substantial ecological value and should be protected for natural recovery, while heavily logged forests require intensive restoration. Although primary forests remain irreplaceable, the research highlights that logged forests still serve as critical biodiversity refuges. This calls for integrating degraded forests into global conservation strategies to combat biodiversity loss in tropical regions.
The study contributes to growing evidence that degraded forests should not be overlooked in conservation planning, especially in tropical regions, where the future of conservation relies heavily on how we manage human-altered habitats.
Read the full article here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07657-w#citeas
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