August 1, 2019
In this article published by Mongabay, Saving Nature’s Dr. Stuart Pimm was asked to share his perspective on the trade-off between logging and conservation in this remote island swathed in old growth forest.
Logging, Mining Companies Lock Eyes on a Biodiverse Island Like No Other
While many of the world’s forest have been exploited by logging, mining,, and energy production, Woodlark Island has survived relatively unscathted…that is, until now.
Lured by high-value timber, a logging company is planning to clear 40 percent of Woodlark’s forests. Compounding the threat to this unique ecosystem is an open-pit mine approved to operate in the middle of the island. Researchers fear the resulting habitat destruction will drive many species to extinction.
“The massive logging proposed will destroy much of the island’s forests and the essential ecosystem services they provide and jeopardise those species,” says Stuart Pimm, an expert in extinction and professor of conservation at Duke University.extinction.
Are this island’s endemic species worth their weight in gold? Read the full article here.
