7: Under the Trees

The rainforest is a unique ecosystem in a delicate balance. If a larger part of the forest is destroyed the balance will be tipped resolving the whole forest area to turn into a savanna because the ecosystem won’t be able to cycle all the water it needs. The whole ecosystem will collapse. 

Global deforestation has been an issue of public concern for more than 50 years. Still, the primary forest areas are decreasing every year. 

Not only are the primary forests storing enormous amounts of CO2, but they are also the homes of 80% of all species of plants and animals. Many of them being in great danger of extinction. It is estimated that  4000-6000 rainforest species go extinct every year. 

This Episode of the Science and Cocktails Podcast will take a look at the global picture of deforestation and reforestation and zoom into what drives deforestation and how it can be stopped.

Contributing scientist; Thilde Bech Bruun, Associate Professor and Rasmus Fensholt, Professor at Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management at University of Copenhagen,  

A Science and Cocktails production funded by The Novo Nordisk Foundation

Journalist, Sound designer and producer; Sofie Hjorth 

Music composer; Hjalte Bested Møller, Tromleorketret