Forests on Indigenous lands help protect health in the Amazon
Forests on Indigenous lands help protect health in the Amazon
Forests on Indigenous lands help protect health in the Amazon
cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/27466224
Healthy forests are more than climate shields; in the Amazon, they also serve as public-health infrastructure.
A Communications Earth & Environment study spanning two decades across the biome links the extent and legal status of Indigenous Territories to 27 respiratory, cardiovascular, and zoonotic or vector-borne diseases. The findings are complex, but one pattern is clear: Where surrounding forest cover is high and fragmentation is low, Indigenous lands help blunt health risks.
archived (Wayback Machine):
To clarify, the benefits are due to large contiguous forest cover, which is a result of indigenous territories being legally protected from deforestation by outsiders. Any other protected area with intact forest cover (e.g. a national park or large private reserve) should provide the same benefits.