Courtesy of NASA
According to a PLOS Biology study reported March 15 in NatureNews, “deforestation in protected areas and indigenous lands is 7–11 times less than in the surrounding areas.” Such an observation offers a clear way ahead for advocates of rainforest conservation.
By supporting preservation of indigenous lands and other protected areas (ILPAs), organizations “could slow forest loss, conserve biodiversity and preserve local cultures.”
Given the failure of last December’s climate talks in Copenhagen, Denmark, (which failed to result treaty to limit carbon dioxide emissions), such an approach could offer a “win-win” according to the report.
The report suggests that conservation of ILPAs could prevent more than a quarter or a million square kilometers of deforestation, equivalent to one-third the world’s annual greenhouse gas emissions in carbon dioxide.
