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Into the forest

14 November 2017
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This month, Horizon looks at how the natural ability of trees to absorb carbon dioxide impacts on climate change. Image credit – Shutterstock/ Pakhnyushchy

Forests cover around 30 % of the Earth’s surface, are home to millions of species, capture and store carbon dioxide (CO2), influence the local climate and provide us with water. This month, Horizon examines how the health of the world’s forests impacts on climate change. We explore the link between deforestation, forest degradation and CO2 emissions, examine the push to combine farming and forestry for better land management, and find out how scientists are using tree rings and DNA to combat illegal logging.

Europe's managed forests have not offset carbon emissions, according to Prof. Sebastiaan Luyssaert. Image credit — by Jurgen Van Hal
environment | interview
24 November 2017

Europe's forest management has not helped to fight climate change – Prof. Sebastiaan Luyssaert

While it seems common sense that planting more trees should help remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and thereby cool the planet, Europe's forest management strategies have actually not helped to fight climate change, according to Professor Sebastiaan Luyssaert, from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 

Growing coffee under the forest canopy can help preserve biodiversity. Credit – ‘Coffee Plant near the Quilalí - San Juan del Río Coco border’ by Elizabeth Sampson is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
agriculture | environment
22 November 2017

Forest plantations are a potent blend for coffee production

Climate change is threatening Europe’s coffee supplies, but the impacts could be diluted by planting the crops amongst trees - a technique known as agroforestry, which is also being revived in European farming.

The world's forests shrank by 3 % between 1990 and 2015. Credit — Pixabay/ Free-Photos
environment
16 November 2017

Counting the carbon cost of forest destruction

The world is losing its trees, but at what cost? Better estimates of deforestation and degradation could shed light on the amount of CO2 emitted, refine climate models and help developing countries better manage their forests.

DNA analysis and near-infrared scanners could help customs officers identify illegally traded wood. Image credit - Pixabay/ Kytalpa
environment
14 November 2017

Tree rings used to counter smugglers’ rings

Analysing regional differences in the DNA of wood and has allowed scientists to determine the location of the original tree within 15km, and the work could help fight the billion-euro trade in illegal timber.