UK forests are heading for “catastrophic ecosystem collapse” within the next 50 years due to multiple threats including disease, extreme weather and wildfires, researchers have warned, with trees dying on a large scale.
Lead author, Dr Eleanor Tew, head of forest planning at Forestry England and visiting researcher at the University of Cambridge, described the finding as “sobering and alarming”.
The long-term impacts of forest ecosystem collapse would include loss of timber, carbon sequestration, poorer air quality, water retention and human enjoyment.
All this is often made worse by management strategies that create forests full of the same species and age of tree, making them more vulnerable.
Dr Elena Cantarello from Bournemouth University, who was not involved in the study, said her own recent research in south-west England “comes to similar conclusions”.
Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield on X (formerly known as Twitter) for all the latest news and features
The original article contains 642 words, the summary contains 161 words. Saved 75%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
UK forests are heading for “catastrophic ecosystem collapse” within the next 50 years due to multiple threats including disease, extreme weather and wildfires, researchers have warned, with trees dying on a large scale.
Lead author, Dr Eleanor Tew, head of forest planning at Forestry England and visiting researcher at the University of Cambridge, described the finding as “sobering and alarming”.
The long-term impacts of forest ecosystem collapse would include loss of timber, carbon sequestration, poorer air quality, water retention and human enjoyment.
All this is often made worse by management strategies that create forests full of the same species and age of tree, making them more vulnerable.
Dr Elena Cantarello from Bournemouth University, who was not involved in the study, said her own recent research in south-west England “comes to similar conclusions”.
Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield on X (formerly known as Twitter) for all the latest news and features
The original article contains 642 words, the summary contains 161 words. Saved 75%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!