A GEOGRAPHY OF HOPE: SAVING THE LAST PRIMARY FORESTS

There are a broad range of primary forests found across tropical, boreal and temperate climates worldwide. Despite their numerous benefits, they are under increased threat from industrial agriculture, mining, oil and gas extraction, industrial logging and infrastructure development. It is estimated that we have lost one-third of the world's original forest cover, and of the remaining forest, only a third qualifies as primary forest and of that total only 20 percent is protected. The book's authors make the case for prioritizing the conservation of primary forests in order to preserve their rich biodiversity and the natural services they provide including storing carbon, providing freshwater and supporting the livelihoods of approximately 400 million people around the world. Primary forests also serve as a key source of seed stock that can be used for reforestation efforts. A Geography of Saving Primary Forests illustrates the beauty, ecological importance and connection to humanity unique to these nearly untouched, old-growth forests.