FAQs about Deforestation of Forest

2. What is a primary forest and what percentage do they represent on the planet?

Primary or virgin forests are surfaces of plant cover that have not been significantly intervened by humans and therefore have a rich biological diversity, to the point that they contain in their territories about two thirds of all the species on the planet.

Only 20% of the world’s forests are found in large intact areas. The plant cover is made up of tropical humid forests, mangroves, and coastal forests in swampy areas. Primary forests are habitats for various animal and plant species, as well as indigenous populations. Every year millions of hectares of primary forest are lost as a result of deforestation and other human interventions.

The largest primary forest on planet Earth is the Amazon rainforest. According to Greenpeace, «in the Miocene these forests covered almost half of the earth’s surface, but today only a fifth of that original forest remains (7% of the entire surface)».

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