Study hopeful for world's forests

Good news
The state of the world's forests may not be as bad as previously feared.
An international team of researchers say its Forest Identity study suggests the world could be approaching a "turning point" from deforestation. The study measures timber volumes, biomass and captured carbon - not just land areas covered by trees.
"The trend is better than previously thought," said Pekka Kauppi, one of the study’s co-authors. "We see prospects for an end to deforestation; we do not make a forecast but it is possible."

FOREST FACTS

-Forests cover 30% of the world's total land area
-Deforestation rate: 13m hectares per year
-Only one-fifth of the Earth's original forests remain undisturbed.
-Iceland has three native tree species, Brazil has 7,780.
-In North America, more than half of the coastal temperate rainforests, once extending from California to Alaska, have been destroyed.
-One-third of the planet's virgin temperate rainforest is in the Tongass National Forest on the southeastern coast of Alaska.
-The world's trees store 283 gigatonnes of carbon, 50% more than there is in the atmosphere (Source: FAO)
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