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New research has pinpointed the places where reforestation is most likely to provide “win-win outcomes” for people and nature. 

Planting trees has been widely embraced as a climate solution, but where we plant them matters. Some locations are unsuitable due to shifting climates, as well as the impact of reforestation on other habitats and communities.

Consequently, those behind the new research suggest that the global potential for reforestation has been overestimated by around 71-92%. That might not sound like good news, but researchers said that their modelling could ensure that funding and policy momentum for reforestation are “focused on the locations of greatest opportunity.”

“Our study points to places where reforestation is most likely to produce win-win outcomes for people and nature, as well as where extra care will need to be taken to ensure that reforestation incorporates local concerns in light of limited land rights, political freedoms, and economic opportunities,” said Forrest Fleischman, associate professor at the University of Minnesota, US, a co-author of the study. 

Suitable locations identified include eastern US, western Canada, Brazil, Colombia, and parts of Europe, adding up to 195m hectares – an area roughly the size of Mexico. 

Image: Luca Bravo