Reforestation: Knowing When to Let Nature Take its Course - UConn Today

Reforestation: Knowing When to Let Nature Take its Course

path in secondary forest; Lindero Sur.jpg: A trail bisects a large area of 32-yr old naturally regenerating forest on former cattle pasture near the south boundary of La Selva Biological Station in northeastern Costa RIca. This forest area has been monitored annually for 20 years, contributing to the dataset used in this study. Photo by Robin L. Chazdon

Allowing Nature to restore deforested areas often restores them closer to the characteristics of the original forest than planting large numbers of trees, according to a new study involving a UConn researcher.