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Old growth forests are essential to biodiversity and absorbing human carbon emissions, yet "Rare is the forest untouched by man," writes David Biello in Scientific American. "Whether logging or clearing land for agriculture, the bulk of the world's forests have fallen to crops, cattle or younger trees. According to some estimates, less than 10 percent of forests worldwide can be considered old growth, or undisturbed for more than a century."
Bialowieza Forest is the last remaining part of an immense primeval forest which once covered much of Europe and survived largely intact for nearly 600 years, because it was first a royal then a tsar hunting preserve. The forest some photos of Bialowieza Forest here is divided between Poland (40%) and the Soviet Union (now Belarus 60%) and is home to an amazing display of biodiversity, including the wisent (European bison), the largest and the heaviest surviving mammal on the continent.
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| Martina Berg/istockphoto |
There are several named oaks in Bialowieza, e.g. Great Mamamuszi, The King of Nieznanowo, and The Guardian of Zwierzyniec...but why does anyone care about a bunch of old oaks with funny names?
On a practical level, old-growth forests are usually "carbon sinks" meaning they continue to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and mitigate climate change for centuries. More importantly, says Greenpeace, ancient forests maintain the balance of life on Earth: "They house around two-thirds of the world's land-based species of plants and animals. The remaining tracts of forests influence day-to-day weather."
Deforestation continues across the globe and let's not forget, there are ancient forests right here in America. Take home message: Ancient forests rock. Deforestation sucks. So get busy preventing deforestation.
Get Started Preventing Deforestation
- Plant a tree
- Buy recycled paper products
- Avoid purchasing products that require deforestation to manufacture, like palm oil
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