Research finds responsible forest management in the Peruvian Amazon can help preserve wildlife

Posted on 23 July 2019

Low-impact logging practices in commercial tropical forests can contribute to wildlife protection and complement protected areas to provide habitat for many species in the Amazon.



Low-impact logging practices in commercial tropical forests can contribute to wildlife protection and complement protected areas to provide habitat for many species in the Amazon, according to new research published in Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation.

The research, conducted in Tahuamanu Province, Madre de Dios region in Peru, evaluated the impact of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified forest management on biodiversity. The findings reveal that FSC-certified concessions have a greater richness of species such as amphibians, insects and monkeys than non-FSC certified logging concessions, and that the make-up of species in FSC-certified sites is more similar to undisturbed forest areas than non-certified logging sites.

Nearly one-third of tropical forest area globally is designated for timber production. Commercial logging in tropical forests, if poorly conducted, can degrade ecosystems and fragment habitats, threatening biodiversity, such as in the Amazon, which is significantly impacted by habitat loss, including deforestation and forest degradation. However, when logging is responsibly managed, it has the potential to support local livelihoods and economic development while conserving biodiversity and the other vital services that forests provide.

“Climate change and biodiversity loss pose two of the biggest threats to humanity today. In the face of these increasing risks, we need solutions that reverse the decline of nature while also providing economic opportunities,” says William Baldwin-Cantello, WWF Forest Practice Lead. “This research shows us that it is possible to combine production forestry with biodiversity conservation if done in the right way and in the right places.”

More:
http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?350390/Research-finds-responsible-forest-management-in-the-Peruvian-Amazon-can-help-preserve-wildlife

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