Scientists Advocate for Protection of Large Amazonian Trees to Achieve Net-Zero Emissions

A recent study published in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change highlights the significant role of large trees in the Peruvian Amazon in carbon storage and biodiversity conservation. The research indicates that current forest regulations, which permit the harvesting of trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 41 to 61 cm depending on species, may hinder Peru's goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Dr. Geomar Vallejos-Torres, the study's corresponding author and a principal investigator at the National University of San Martín, Peru, stated that felling trees with a DBH of at least 41 cm releases disproportionately large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, making the net-zero goal difficult or even impossible to achieve.

The study examined five forests in the San Martín department, revealing that large trees store between 88% and 93% of the above-ground carbon, depending on species. For instance, the species Brosimum alicastrum stored 88.6% of its above-ground carbon in trees exceeding 41 cm DBH.

Peru, possessing the ninth-largest forest cover globally and the second-largest within the Amazon, faces ongoing deforestation challenges. In 2024 alone, 150,602 hectares of Amazonian forest were lost, underscoring the pressure on these ecosystems.

The authors recommend revising current forest policies to prioritize the protection of large trees as a key condition for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Dr. Vallejos-Torres emphasized that these largest trees are not expendable resources but an integral part of the climate solution.