How much clearcutting can nature sustain? A study determines the ecological limit for boreal forest birds
A study led by the University of Jyväskylä in Finland evaluated, for the first time, an ecological threshold for the amount of clearcutting in boreal forests. According to the results, maintaining populations of bird species specialized in old-growth forests requires either a forest rotation period of at least 90 years on average or that approximately one-fifth of the forest area be excluded from…
A groundbreaking study from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland has determined the ecological limit for clearcutting in boreal forests, specifically its impact on bird populations. Researchers analyzed data from 2006-2020 and discovered that bird species dependent on old-growth forests struggle in landscapes where large clearcut areas have accumulated over 20 years.
To preserve these bird populations, the study recommends limiting clearcutting to 10% of the forest landscape per decade, equivalent to 90-year rotations or excluding 20% of forest areas from clearcutting. While these findings apply globally, the researchers emphasize that thresholds may vary among regions and species groups, such as lichens and mosses.
This study provides decision-makers and stakeholders with a concrete metric for planning ecologically sustainable forest management.
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