• What would happen if all the world’s trees disappeared?
  • As the Amazon fires continue to burn, Rachel Nuwer asks: how dependent are we on the survival of forests?
  • bbc.com

The importance of forests cannot be underestimated.

We depend on forests for our survival, from the air we breathe to the wood we use. Besides providing habitats for animals and livelihoods for humans, forests also offer watershed protection, prevent soil erosion and mitigate climate change. Yet, despite our dependence on forests, we are still allowing them to disappear.

What would happen if all the world’s trees disappeared?

How dependent are we on the survival of forests?