Summary
This global meta-analysis synthesised evidence from 264 studies spanning 53 countries to evaluate trade-offs in ecosystem service and biodiversity delivery across different forest restoration strategies. Native forests substantially outperformed plantations in carbon storage, water provisioning, soil erosion control, and biodiversity outcomes, whilst compositionally simple, younger plantations in drier regions performed particularly poorly. The findings highlight critical policy trade-offs between environmental and production goals that must be navigated in scaling forest restoration commitments.
UK applicability
The findings are broadly applicable to UK forest policy and practice, particularly regarding afforestation and woodland restoration targets. UK policy-makers should consider that native mixed-species woodland restoration may deliver superior soil, hydrological, and biodiversity benefits compared to monoculture or simplified commercial plantations, though trade-offs with timber production will require careful balancing.
Key measures
Aboveground carbon storage, water provisioning, soil erosion control, biodiversity metrics, and wood production across plantation and native forest restoration types
Outcomes reported
The study compared delivery of climate, soil, water, wood production, and biodiversity services across tree plantations and native forests using 25,950 matched data pairs from 264 studies across 53 countries. Results quantified trade-offs between ecosystem service provision and production goals in different restoration approaches.
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