Replanting logged forests with diverse seedlings accelerates restoration

Satellite observations of one of the world's biggest ecological experiments on the island of Borneo have revealed that replanting logged forests with diverse mixtures of seedlings can significantly accelerate their recovery. Lead Scientist of the study, Professor Andy Hector said: 'Our new study demonstrates that replanting logged tropical forests with diverse mixtures of native tree species achieves multiple wins, accelerating the restoration of tree cover, biodiversity, and important ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration. Tropical forests cover just 6% of the planet's land surface but are home to around 80% of the world's documented species, and act as major carbon sinks. Restoring logged tropical forests is a crucial component of efforts to tackle both the nature and climate crises. Up to now it has been unclear whether this is best achieved through allowing forests to restore themselves naturally or through active replanting. The 16 species included several endangered species and the worlds' tallest species of tropical tree which can reach over 100 m in height. Positive effects of tree diversity on tropical forest restoration in a field-scale experiment.