Commentary by Michael Painter and David Wilkie
Dr. Michael Painter is a senior technical advisor at WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society). Dr. David Wilkie is Executive Director for the WCS Conservation Measures and Communities program. The views expressed are their own.
- Intact forests are among the few places on earth where native trees and animals can fulfill their ecological roles outside the influence of industrial humankind.
- Some interpret “intact” to mean absent the influence of people, but people have lived within forests the world over for millennia and we are only beginning to understand how they have – and continue to – influence them.
- We cannot solve our most pressing environmental and development problems by compromising the few areas that remain whole.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily Mongabay.
Read the full commentary at Mongabay,