3 ms·
> I hope they start showing up everywhere. For people in urban hellscapes? Yes. For non-human animals? More complicated. These sorts for forests are generally
by Affric 3y ago
> I hope they start showing up everywhere.
For people in urban hellscapes? Yes.
For non-human animals? More complicated. These sorts for forests are generally dominated by “edge species”. Edge species generally do relatively well out of habitat fragmentation.
The most sensitive species that need a lot of depth in forest generally don’t do well with these small pockets.
This is not to say that Miyawaki forests aren’t an improvement, just that their “conservation” value is limited and still need to preserve/manage huge amounts of actual contiguous forest with a minimum perimeter compared to the area covered.
- TulliusCicero 3y agoThat's fair. It's definitely a complementary thing, you want both types of forest I'm sure. Small forests don't cover all the needs, and large forests don't fit everywhere.
- ggm 3y agoI don't disagree but if the choice is between edge forest and species support for species in edge forests, or carparks and species support for carpark friendly species, I would prefer to have edge forest species. This is not re-wilding. We aren't trying to get urban badgers and lions. So, in summary I think your critique is true but misplaced. Consider the viable alternatives, not the pipe dream. When we de-populate on the next virus, we can re-forest for bears.
- Affric 3y agoWe actually can affect development patterns, deforestation, and afforestation through democracy. I am not against Miyawaki forests but I think we need to recognise they are largely for people. They vastly improve important metrics for us but in the press for Miyawaki forests the benefits for forests are sometimes conflated with the benefits of Miyawaki forests. It’s a little like when growing afforestation for the sake of timber is sold as a benefit to the environment as though it’s just like any other forest. TFA is about urban overheating. Biodiversity is a powerful idea and valued aesthetic in our society but ultimately biodiversity will only be conserved through a cessation of deforestation and significant afforestation on large scales.
- ggm 3y agoif TFA is about urban overheating, and if Miyawaki forests offset the problem then they should be supported as they address the problem. If they don't help damaged and marginalised species as much as connected scale forests, we need to know that but it doesn't mean we should not have Miyawaki forests.
- ArunRaja 3y agoTFA...?
- ggm 3y agoThe featured article. the fine article. the first argument. the final attempt.