Amazon study: Protecting existing forests beats restoration for biodiversity and carbon

A new study published in Science finds that avoiding deforestation and forest degradation in the Brazilian Amazon delivers far more carbon and biodiversity benefit per dollar than restoring cleared land. The research compared 3 million hectares in Pará state, using satellite imagery, field surveys, and counterfactual models to weigh different interventions. Results show that preventing wildfires and selective logging protects the most forest biodiversity and is nearly as important as stopping deforestation for carbon stocks. Restoration only makes sense where most original forest is already gone, and it is the most expensive option. The authors stress that policies must integrate protection and restoration, and that soy and beef supply chains should take responsibility for forest degradation too.