14 DAY TRIAL // Scientists launch a highly controversial theory, stating that deforestation is not entirely bad for the environment. Despite the fact that, for decades, experts affirmed that clearing up woodlands leads to desertification, turning thousands of acres into sterile useless land, it appears that they revised their initial theory.
According to one of the most recent studies, deforestation can have a noticeable net cooling effect on northern latitudes. Tree loss is actually beneficial, from this point of view. Scientists reach this peculiar conclusion after analyzing this phenomenon in various regions, from Florida to Manitoba, reported Yale 360 Environment.
So far, eco-groups have thought that deforestation is a key element in some of the most harmful manmade disasters. The removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has been linked throughout time to irreparable damage to habitats, implying biodiversity loss and aridity.
In the end, 20 organizations revealed that boreal region, north of 45 degrees latitude, acted different while dealing with deforestation. Researchers studied the temperatures of grassy open territories and then compared the numbers with the temperatures recorded in nearby forests.
The result was conclusive: the open areas were cooler than the ones covered by woodland, because the snow acts like a mirror and reflects sunlight back into space.
According to their research, darker forests captured the heat coming from the sun. Therefore, it is proved that in northern latitudes deforestation can fight increased temperatures. The study is published in the journal Nature.
The paper highlights the ambivalent potential of this phenomenon. Its presence triggers different consequences in different locations.
Therefore, the lack of trees can cool the regions located north of Minnesota (45 degrees latitude), while in regions located south of North Carolina the deforestation is correlated with higher temperatures. Cutting down trees in northern territories can make temperatures decrease by up to 1.5 degrees F (-16.94 degrees Celsius)
“The cooling effect is linear with latitude, so the farther north you go, the cooler you get with deforestation,” stated Xuhui Lee,the leading author of this study, a professor of meteorology at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.