All life is intricately connected and exists in delicately interwoven systems. Accepting this reality makes it less surprising that the health of the planet has a profound impact on human wellbeing. When the Earth struggles, so do its creatures, but uplifting the planet also enriches us. Forest restoration affects human health in multiple beneficial ways, as these fascinating insights reveal.
What Is Forest Restoration?
Forest restoration encompasses myriad activities. In general, it refers to returning forests to a healthy state. It may include actions such as maintaining tree diversity, controlling invasive species, and pruning or removing underbrush that competes with trees through controlled burns and selective logging.
Why Are Forests the Lungs of the Planet?
People describe forests as the lungs of the planet because of their ability to absorb carbon dioxide and release fresh oxygen. The world’s forests currently sequester about 25% of annual human carbon emissions, but a delicate balance exists.
For example, increased carbon dioxide levels accelerate plant growth, but such shifts require equal action from forest management. When met with increased drought, conditions such as those that sparked Canada’s historic 2023 wildfire season may occur, bringing considerable environmental devastation. Forest restoration is vital to keeping current with changes and making wise management decisions to maintain life in balance.
Restoration and Reforestation
Reforestation slightly differs from forest restoration. This process involves returning previously cleared lands to woodlands, something vital to overall planetary health. Several nations, such as Denmark, China, Bhutan and Brazil, have initiated such programs and seen impressive benefits. For example, China discovered that such efforts not only sequester carbon but also improve soil quality.
Forest restoration and reforestation share common elements and practices, however. Restorative forestry combines practices such as afforestation — planting new trees — with controlled burns and selective logging. Such techniques hold promise to increase the percentage of earth covered by forests overall while minimizing environmental harm from wildfires spurred by accelerated undergrowth expansion.
Benefits Of Forest Restoration For Human Health
Forest restoration offers a host of benefits to human health. People can reap the following perks from supporting such efforts and treasuring the world’s forests.
1. Improves Air Quality and Reduces Respiratory Complaints
Humans breathe oxygen and release carbon dioxide, while forest trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. A recent study on over 35,000 European children showed that those with greater proximity to green space had improved lung function. As the distance from green spaces increased, so did the risk of respiratory diseases.
Breathing the air out there is often better than that indoors, as dust and mold can linger in HVAC systems and spur respiratory allergies in sensitive individuals. Even dense roadside vegetation can cut downwind pollutants by 30%, and including forested areas between industrial complexes and human habitation benefits planetary and human health.
2. Decreases Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of men and women worldwide. Forest restoration can benefit human cardiovascular health in numerous ways beyond improving air quality.
For example, simply being outside encourages you to move more often. According to the WHO, 1.8 billion adults currently fail to get sufficient exercise to protect their health, upping their disease risk. Being in the forest also reduces stress, and those under excess pressure are 2.5 times more likely to have a heart attack.
3. Boosts Immunity
Could a walk in the woods benefit you this cold and flu season? It might. Studies on forest bathing have found that plants release chemicals called phytoncides. These substances boost human immunity when inhaled.
Follow-up research on the effects of phytoncides confirms their immunity-boosting benefits. While researchers are currently working on synthesizing drugs from specific phytoncides, you can reap the same perks for free by taking a hike.
4. Lowers Temperature and Mitigates Climate Change
Extreme heat has become more problematic as climate change advances. It often affects the most vulnerable, who can’t afford air conditioning or a sheltered escape from the elements.
However, the area beneath shade trees can be 20 to 45 degrees cooler than surrounding sidewalks. Planting more trees in urban areas helps, but a cool forest escape also benefits human health — and a camping trip is a low-cost family vacation.
5. Improves Mental Health Outcomes
Finally, spending time in the forest is fabulous for your mental health. One study involving 10-12-year-old students with significant mental health disorders found that two hours per week in nature reduced their emotional distress to the degree that teachers noted the change in behavior.
Forest Restoration And Human Health
Forest restoration is a necessary process for revitalizing planet Earth. However, this process also benefits your health. Nature designed people and forests to play together, but they can only do so if the human half of that equation does its part with wise, restorative forest management.
Author Bio
Oscar Collins is the editor-in-chief at Modded, where he writes about health and fitness. Follow him on Twitter @TModded for regular updates on his work, and subscribe to Modded Minute for more!
