Year of publication 2000

Human impact is so considerable, and there are so many links between the biosphere and the atmosphere – in both directions – that it is clear that the only course is to manage them jointly. The role of forests is large in that equation, not just in terms of the global carbon cycle, but also in terms of biological diversity. They also play critical roles in ecosystem services such as watershed management, erosion and flood control as well as disaster prevention. So the Forest Protected Areas Initiative represents a global conservation priority of the highest order. A key element in the initiative is the goal of protection of at least 10% of the world’s forest types. Ambitious as this may sound, it is also insufficient. Species-area curves tell us that in the end 10% would conserve only 50% of the species in the forests. In addition, if there is no other forest other than that in protected areas, it would be impossible to ward off the demands for the many products and services forests provide.