Global reforestation and biodiversity conservation

The loss of forest habitat is a leading cause of species extinction, and reforestation is one of two established interventions for reversing this loss. However, the role of reforestation for biodiversity conservation remains debated, and lacking is an assessment of the potential contribution that reforestation could make to biodiversity conservation globally. Here, we conduct a spatial analysis of overlap between 1,550 forest-obligate threatened species' ranges and land that could be reforested. We find that reforestation on at least 43% of the reforestable area could potentially benefit threatened vertebrate biodiversity. This corresponds to approximately 369 Mha, or approximately 15% of the total area where threatened vertebrates occur. The greatest opportunities for conserving threatened vertebrate species are found in the tropics, particularly Brazil and Indonesia. While reforestation is not a substitute for forest conservation, and most of the area containing threatened vertebrates remains forested, our results highlight the need for global conservation strategies to recognize the potentially significant contribution that reforestation could make to biodiversity conservation. If implemented, reforestation in the amount of approximately 369 Mha would also contribute substantially to climate mitigation, offering a way of achieving multiple sustainability commitments at once. Countries must now work to overcome key barriers to investment in reforestation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.