Ever Green: Saving Big Forests To Save the Planet

Conservationist and economist Reid and the late biologist/ecologist Lovejoy (1941–2021) present a compelling argument for conserving the last five megaforests of the world: the two boreal forests of North America and Russia as well as megaforests located in New Guinea, the Congo, and the Amazon. Megaforests provide intact forest landscapes: areas of at least 500 square kilometers that are free of roads, power lines, mines, cities, and industrial farms. While termed megaforests, these lands contain other types of landscapes, such as wetlands, rivers, and mountaintops. Through this accessible narrative, readers get an up-close view of these different forests, including the Indigenous people who live there and the scientists who are working to preserve these areas. The argument for the preservation of these important places is in line with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s recommendation that forest loss needs to stop completely by 2030. Preserving these unique megaforests will be crucial to stopping climate change.