As a forest conservation activist for 18 years, who later also became a climate change advocate for the past 9 years, it is so gratifying to see recent widespread acceptance of what has become Ecological Internet’s central message — large, connected ancient primary and old-growth forests are a requirement for stopping climate change and achieving global ecological sustainability. Global survival depends upon the Earth’s last 20% of natural, primary forests remaining intact and totally protected as “global ecological reserves” with fair payments for avoided deforestation. Indeed, humanity has overshot the amount of natural forest ecosystem that can be developed while sustaining biogeochemical processes upon which all life depends and maintaining an operable atmosphere. Thus, we promote restoration ecology to expand ancient forests, “rewilding” remnant forests into old-growth habitat in a targeted manner.
While ecological science highlighting the necessity of maintaining ancient forests to fight climate change (amongst other things) has strengthened; sadly mainstream environmental groups cling to failed policies of “certified, sustainable” logging of these ancient life giving wonders. World Without Forests (WWF) is the primary culprit. Given we have already lost too much ancient forest to maintain the Earth’s climate, and that selective first time logging certified or otherwise releases carbon and forever limits carbon sink potential; it is not enough to protect half of the Canadian Boreal — as a consortium of big money logging apologists propose. Nor is it enough to cut tropical deforestation by 50% (both presented below).