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2015

Climate Solutions

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Will Passive Protection Save Congo Forests?, Gillian L. Galford, Britaldo S. Soares-Filho, Laura J. Sonter, Nadine Laporte Jun 2015

Will Passive Protection Save Congo Forests?, Gillian L. Galford, Britaldo S. Soares-Filho, Laura J. Sonter, Nadine Laporte

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Central Africa's tropical forests are among the world's largest carbon reserves. Historically, they have experienced low rates of deforestation. Pressures to clear land are increasing due to development of infrastructure and livelihoods, foreign investment in agriculture, and shifting land use management, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The DRC contains the greatest area of intact African forests. These store approximately 22 billion tons of carbon in aboveground live biomass, yet only 10% are protected. Can the status quo of passive protection - forest management that is low or nonexistent - ensure the preservation of this forest and its …