Restoration forest ecosystems: Benefits for urban and rural populations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59741/agraria.v23iE1.745Keywords:
Connectivity, economics, environmental benefits, human well-beings, societyAbstract
Forest ecosystems sustain essential processes for life and productive activities, such as water regulation, soil conservation, and carbon sequestration and storage. However, their degradation– driven by land-use changes, wildfires, overgrazing, unplanned extraction, and other factors – significantly reduces these benefits and increases the socio-environmental vulnerability of both rural and urban communities. This article explains what ecological restoration (ER) is, and discusses its scope beyond simple tree planting, highlighting its role in the recovery of key ecological processes. The effect of forest ecosystem degradation on analyzed, with emphasis on two fundamental cycles: carbon and water. Finally, the interdependence between rural and urban territories is highlighted, underscoring the importance of restoring and conserving healthy forest ecosystems to ensure a sustained provision of goods and services that benefit society.
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