A Quick Guide to Ancient and Endangered Forests

The term "Ancient and Endangered Forests" was defined by leading conservation and biodiversity scientists and environmental non-governmental organizations.

Ancient and Endangered Forests Encompass Many Types of Forests Including:

Intact Forest Landscape Mosaics

These are forests where industrial logging has not taken place, and that are a minimum of 50,000 hectares (123,500 acres) in size and area - more than eight times the size of Manhattan.

Naturally Rare Forest Types and Forest Types That Have Been Made Rare Due to Human Activity

These are forests that are not abundant at a global level. An example of this kind of forest is British Columbia's Coastal Temperate Rainforest, one of the rarest types of forest on Earth. This type of forest only ever covered about 2.5 percent of the earth's surface. Over time, much of the Coastal Temperate Rainforest has been heavily impacted by human settlement and logging.

Forests with High Species Richness

These are forests that have the highest numbers of plant and animal species. Brazil is one of the countries that can be looked to for species richness. The country is home to the Amazon rainforest, the Mata Atlantic and other species rich forests. In terms of global species richness, Brazil ranks second in mammals and amphibians, and third in birds, reptiles and fish.

Forests Containing High Concentrations of Rare and Endangered Species

These are forests that provide habitat for species that are not abundant or face risk of extinction. The Leuser Ecosystem in Indonesia is an example, being the last place on Earth where elephants, tigers, rhinoceros and orangutans still co-exist in the wild. Sadly, these species are all critically endangered.

Forests of High Endemism

Endemism is when a species is geographically restricted to an area or a region. Species can be indigenous to a place, but are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. Forests of high endemism are those which contain species that can only be found in very specific regions. In isolated areas, such as Australia and the southern tip of Africa, as many as 90 percent of species are endemic.

Core Habitat for Focal Species

These are forests that contain habitat for plant and animal species that represent the health of broader ecological functions of a region. In Canada's Boreal Forest, examples of focal species are caribou, grizzly bears, and wolverines – when these species have enough habitat to maintain healthy populations, it indicates that the broader ecosystem is healthy.

Forests Exhibiting Rare Ecological and Evolutionary Phenomena

These are forests that contain habitat for plant and animal species that represent the health of broader ecological functions of a region. In Canada's Boreal Forest, examples of focal species are caribou, grizzly bears, and wolverines - when these species have enough habitat to maintain healthy populations, it indicates that the broader ecosystem is healthy.

Forests with High Carbon Stocks

There are two types of carbon stocks in a forest: soil organic carbon (below-ground stocks) and forest biomass (above-ground stocks). Soil organic carbon is the carbon stored in the soil. It represents all the non-living organic compounds in soil. Plants use the organic carbon in soil as they grow. In turn, they return carbon to the soil after they die. High levels of organic soil carbon do not necessarily represent areas with lush vegetation, however. For example, in tropical rainforests, the highly active vegetation on the surface extracts most soil carbon, so those areas have especially low soil carbon. Areas where vegetation grows more slowly, especially swamps and wetlands, therefore have higher soil carbon. Above-ground stocks are found in forest biomass. Carbon is found in all living biomass above the soil including stem, stump, branches, bark, seeds and foliage. This carbon is stored in trees through photosynthesis. The forests which store the largest amounts of carbon above-ground are generally those with the highest and largest trees, such as tropical forests.

ForestMapper

The ForestMapper tool helps identify Ancient and Endangered Forest landscapes. These landscapes contain at least one of the components or values associated with the Ancient and Endangered Forest definition. This ensures that all potential ecologically important forests are represented and that no areas considered critical from an ecological standpoint are overlooked.

Map data is sourced from Stamen Design under CC BY 3.0 and OpenStreetMap data.

Source: https://canopyplanet.org/tools/forestmapper/sciencebehind/

Transforming Business for the Planet

Connect with Canopy on social media and visit their website:

IG/LI/FB/X: CANOPYPLANET

CANOPYPLANET.ORG

Models: 1751055425-ca32, Ancient and Endangered Forests, Endangered Forests, Forests

File Info : application/pdf, 4 Pages, 2.67MB

1751055425-ca32 canopy ancientandendangeredforests 1

References

Adobe InDesign 19.5 (Macintosh) Adobe PDF Library 17.0

Related Documents

	Canopy Hot Button Impact Report: 10 Years of Progress in Man-Made Cellulosic Fibre Sourcing An in-depth analysis of the transformation in the Man-Made Cellulosic Fibre (MMCF) supply chain over the past decade, highlighting Canopy's Hot Button Report and its impact on promoting sustainable sourcing, innovation in Next Generation solutions, and conservation of Ancient and Endangered Forests.
	Pop-up and Instant Canopy User & Maintenance Manual A comprehensive guide for the setup, usage, maintenance, and safety precautions for pop-up and instant canopies.
	10ft Canopy Side Wall Dimensions and Specifications Detailed specifications for a 10ft (120 inch) canopy side wall, including its height of 7.1ft (86 inches). Ideal for event tents and outdoor shelters.
	Canopy Packing List: Components and Contents A comprehensive packing list for a portable canopy, detailing all included parts such as the frame, top, sidewalls, stakes, ropes, and bags for easy setup and storage.
	Versatile Canopy Use Cases: Stalls, Weddings, Picnics, and Parking Explore the diverse applications of this canopy, ideal for market stalls, wedding events, outdoor picnics, and as a protective car parking shelter.
	Canopy Setup: Quick Installation Guide Step-by-step instructions for setting up and anchoring your canopy, including important safety warnings.
	20ft x 7.1ft Canopy Side Wall Dimensions \| Outdoor Shelter Specifications Find detailed dimensions for a 20ft (240 inch) wide by 7.1ft (86 inch) high canopy side wall. This product overview provides essential specifications for outdoor shelter tents.
	How to Install Your Truck Canopy: Step-by-Step Guide Detailed instructions for installing a truck canopy, covering parts list, assembly steps, and sealing procedures for vehicle owners.