UK Forest May Collapse in Next 50 Years Without Climate Mitigation Efforts, Study Warns

A recent study warned of potential collapse of UK forests in the next 50 years. Researchers emphasized the role of climate change protection and mitigation efforts.

The forests in the UK play a crucial role in protecting wildlife and the ecosystem. It is home to various species because of its important food source and habitat.

In addition, the UK forests help to prevent devastating flooding in communities, especially flood-prone areas. It also cleans the air from unhealthy levels and poor quality.

As a result, the forest decline can pose a significant threat to human health and wildlife without urgent conservation efforts, especially for animals.

UK Forest May Collapse in the Next 50 Years

(Photo : by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
East Malling, United Kingdom. Researchers raised concerns about the potential collapse of UK forests in the next 50 years without urgent climate mitigation and protection efforts.

The research findings were published in the Forestry journal. Experts studied the 15 overlooked concerns that affect the UK forests in the next 50 years. The effort will protect trees from potential threats, especially the effects of global warming and climate change.

They conducted a horizon scan to uncover the challenging threats to the UK forests. The team of experts emphasized the catastrophic forest ecosystem collapse in the next 50 years if no urgent efforts were made. The resilience of forests to adapt can likely become more affected.

According to the first author, Dr. Eleanor Tew explained that it could result in a huge impact on the forests in the UK. She added that it could change how forests are being managed. Dr. Tew is also a visiting researcher at Cambridge's Department of Zoology and Head of Forest Planning at Forestry England.

In addition, the researchers highlighted that forest collapse occurred in North America and continental Europe. One of the major issues is climate change.

Researchers explained that climate change could affect the water conditions that are critical to forests. It can intensify dry and drought areas, depleting the water sources.

The decline in water can cause an unexpected competition in consumption between humans and forests. The climate change effects can cause raging wildfires, making it more difficult for forests to survive.

In addition, the rapid rise in temperatures can affect forests. It can be more challenging for trees to survive and adapt.

On the other hand, the report discovered that viral diseases have impacted the UK forests due to climate change and the arrival of invasive species.

Meanwhile, the researchers urged for international commitments to save the UK forests from further decline. Understanding the climate change effects can mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events and damage to UK forests.

Also Read: River Recoveries Can Take Years Due to Prolonged Drought, Lack of Rain, Study Shows

Rivers and Prolonged Drought Conditions

According to a study in the Journal of Hydrology, it can take more years for rivers to recover from severe drought and lack of rain. The soaring temperatures and changing weather patterns can affect the precipitation.

Related Article: Amazon Extreme Drought Exposes Ancient Dozens of Rock Formations, Carvings

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