The Power of Old-Growth Forests and Why We Need to Keep Them Intact
The Power of Old-Growth Forests and Why We Need to Keep Them Intact
Chris Crisman, The Nature Conservancy
Author: The Nature Conservancy
As we navigated the hottest year on record, we are continually reminded of the challenges facing our forests. Whether a tropical forest or coastal temperate rainforest, all forests must contend with a unique set of stressors including changes in land use, invasive insects and disease, and extreme weather events. Rapid changes in climate compound these stressors, and there is an urgent need to prepare our forests for the future — but how?
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and its Canadian affiliate, Nature United, have found that the answers lie deep within an ecosystem that has been around for millennia: old-growth forests.
What are old growth forests?
Old-growth forests are ecosystems that developed over a long period of time, typically more than 200 years, with a wide range of tree sizes and vegetation diversity. An old-growth forest is not a monoculture but an interconnected web of species from woody debris to thick vegetation on the ground. Let’s take a look at the Emerald Edge, the world’s largest coastal temperate rainforest, for example.
Old-growth forests like the Emerald Edge have an amazing ability to store carbon for thousands of years. Since time immemorial, Indigenous land stewards and caretakers of these forests have uncovered rich layers – and a deep understanding – of the reciprocal relationship between the vast number of species that thrive in and depend on old-growth forests. Salmon, elk, black-tailed deer, marbled murrelet, and cougar are just a few.
Animals and plants aren’t the only ones who partake in the rich ecosystems of old-growth forests. Many communities depend on and give back to them, too. In the Emerald Edge, Indigenous peoples have stewarded the forests for millennia – from foragers gathering healing Labrador Tea to First Nations protecting land within the Clayoquot Sound, including some of the last remaining old-growth forests on Vancouver Island.
Old-growth forests — hallmark of biodiversity and resilience
These forests can be carbon storage powerhouses. The vast old-growth forests of the Emerald Edge can store as much as 300 million metric tons of carbon annually. That’s equal to the yearly energy use of nearly 58 million homes–more than the energy use of all the homes in Canada, Washington, Oregon and Alaska combined.
Old-growth forests may also be better at adapting to rapid changes in climate than younger forests due to several factors.
Old-growth forests are home to a diversity of trees, plants and animal species. The natural growth and death of trees creates a mosaic of habitats throughout the forest. In some areas, the forest is typified by towering trees, home to some species including voles and salamanders. Standing dead trees are wildlife magnets, attracting woodpeckers, flying squirrels and more. When large trees fall, they create openings that allow thick, lush growth that provides food and cover for a variety of wildlife.
And, as compared to a younger, more structurally simple forest, species in an old-growth forest compete less for resources and can sometimes weather drought better. These areas can also be a few degrees cooler, a temperature difference that may seem slight to humans, but can make a critical difference for plants and animals that are threatened by the impacts of rapid changes in climate.
Preservation through careful stewardship
It’s all connected — and when you support forest preservation, you’re supporting thriving rivers, healthy wildlife, and resilient communities too. Scientists with TNC recently found that forest restoration work is essential to the health of salmon populations, especially as river and ocean temperatures rise and increasing frequency of droughts and heat waves affect forest health.¹ This study, conducted at TNC's Ellsworth Creek Preserve in Southwest Washington, underscores the interconnectedness of various ecosystems and the beings that live in and rely on them.
With a deep understanding of this connection, Indigenous peoples have stewarded the old-growth forests of the Emerald Edge for millennia. Today, some of the most effective protections for forest carbon and biodiversity exist because of Indigenous-led action such as the Indigenous-led land protection in Clayoquot Sound in British Columbia.
Emerald Edge: preserving history, preparing for the future
While old-growth forests and the people of the Emerald Edge hold millennia of history, Grove, TNC and Nature United are collaborating to ensure they have a bright future as well.
Since its inception in 2010, the Emerald Edge Program has supported Indigenous-led natural climate solutions that will collectively conserve at least 10 million metric tons of carbon. It has also launched a Carbon Mapper tool with which land stewards can identify the most impactful and actionable opportunities for natural climate solutions in the Emerald Edge.
As we all consider how to protect our planet — our only home — preserving old-growth forests is one of the most powerful steps we can take. Whether you're supporting Indigenous-led conservation efforts, learning more about the ecosystems in your region, or simply choosing products that give back to the Earth, your actions make a real difference.
Our multi-year collaboration with The Nature Conservancy
Since 2022, Grove has collaborated with The Nature Conservancy to support Indigenous-led conservation across 2 million acres in the Tongass National Forest within the Emerald Edge region of Southeast Alaska. The Emerald Edge is Earth’s largest remaining coastal temperate rainforest, which is home to Indigenous peoples of Alaska as well as thousands of animal species.
To learn more about TNC, visit nature.org, follow @nature_press on X, or sign-up for their Global Insights newsletter here.
Source:
1 The Nature Conservancy. (2024). Restoring old-growth structure and function benefits an iconic fish species. Biological Conservation, 291, 110619. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320725001363
