Whither the forest transition? Climate change, policy responses, and redistributed forests in the twenty-first century

Thomas K. Rudel; Patrick Meyfroidt; Robin Chazdon; Frans Bongers; Sean Sloan; H. Ricardo Grau; Tracy Van Holt; Laura Schneider

doi:10.1007/s13280-018-01143-0

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Whither the forest transition? Climate change, policy responses, and redistributed forests in the twenty-first century

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Whither the forest transition? Climate change, policy responses, and redistributed forests in the twenty-first century

Thomas K. Rudel, Patrick Meyfroidt, Robin Chazdon, Frans Bongers, Sean Sloan, H. Ricardo Grau, Tracy Van Holt and Laura Schneider

Ambio, Vol.49(1), pp.74-84

2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-018-01143-0

PMID: 30666613

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Abstract

Forest gains

Forest transitions

Latecomer effects

Review

Tree plantations

Forest transitions occur when net reforestation replaces net deforestation in places. Because forest transitions can increase biodiversity and augment carbon sequestration, they appeal to policymakers contending with the degrading effects of forest loss and climate change. What then can policymakers do to trigger forest transitions? The historical record over the last two centuries provides insights into the precipitating conditions. The early transitions often occurred passively, through the spontaneous regeneration of trees on abandoned agricultural lands. Later forest transitions occurred more frequently after large-scale crisis narratives emerged and spurred governments to take action, often by planting trees on degraded, sloped lands. To a greater degree than their predecessors, latecomer forest transitions exhibit centralized loci of power, leaders with clearly articulated goals, and rapid changes in forest cover. These historical shifts in forest transitions reflect our growing appreciation of their utility for countering droughts, floods, land degradation, and climate change.

Details

Title: Whither the forest transition? Climate change, policy responses, and redistributed forests in the twenty-first century
Authors: Thomas K. Rudel (Corresponding Author) - Rutgers University
Patrick Meyfroidt (Author) - Place Pasteur 3, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Robin Chazdon (Author) - University of Connecticut
Frans Bongers (Author) - Wageningen University & Research
Sean Sloan (Author) - 14-88 MacGregor Rd, Sir Robert Norman Building, Smithfield, QLD Australia
H. Ricardo Grau (Author) - Edificio las Cupulas, Tucumán, Argentina
Tracy Van Holt (Author) - New York University
Laura Schneider (Author) - Rutgers University
Publication details: Ambio, Vol.49(1), pp.74-84
Publisher: Springer Cham
DOI: 10.1007/s13280-018-01143-0
ISSN: 1654-7209
PMID: 30666613
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Tropical Forests & People Research Centre; Forest Research Institute
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99659196502621
Output Type: Journal article

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