Summary
This global meta-analysis of 25,950 data pairs from 264 studies across 53 countries compares ecosystem service delivery and biodiversity outcomes between native forest restoration and tree plantation approaches. The analysis reveals that native forests substantially outperform plantations for carbon storage, water provisioning, soil erosion control, and biodiversity benefits, with compositionally simple, younger plantations in drier regions performing particularly poorly. Plantations offer a trade-off advantage only in wood production, highlighting critical decisions policy-makers must navigate when balancing environmental and production objectives in forest restoration commitments.
UK applicability
The findings have potential relevance to UK woodland restoration policy, particularly regarding the increasing emphasis on native woodland expansion versus commercial plantation models. However, the UK's temperate maritime climate and woodland context differ substantially from the global dataset (which includes tropical and drier regions), so direct applicability requires consideration of UK-specific soil, hydrology, and biodiversity contexts.
Key measures
Aboveground carbon storage, water provisioning, soil erosion control, biodiversity outcomes, and wood production across restoration approaches
Outcomes reported
The study assessed delivery of climate, soil, water, and wood production services alongside biodiversity across tree plantations and native forests using 25,950 matched data pairs from 264 studies in 53 countries.
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