Wildlife value of tropical forest restoration

A study identifies degraded tropical forests in Borneo for wildlife conservation. Habitat degradation in tropical forests affects vital ecosystems. Such degradation affects approximately 4 billion hectares of tropical forest, and global efforts to increase conservation and restoration are under way. Nicolas Deere, Matthew Struebig, and colleagues identified areas of degraded tropical forests in Borneo that if conserved or restored would most benefit wildlife. The authors combined camera trap data collected between 2015 and 2017 with 3D landscape mapping to examine species’ responses to changes in forest structure due to logging. Many of the 28 tropical mammal species studied were of high conservation value. Mammals tended to disproportionately occupy structurally complex, multidimensional environments with tall canopies, diverse niches, and increased plant area–all of which are indicators of good quality forest habitat. However, mammals avoided forested areas undergoing structural simplification. Forests in such areas were characterized by open canopies and reduced vegetation density, which are byproducts of excessive logging. The findings highlight the importance of maintaining forests, given that mammals’ active avoidance of heavily degraded areas may eventually lead to failing ecosystems and defaunation, according to the authors.

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Article #20-01823: “Maximizing the value of forest restoration for tropical mammals by detecting three-dimensional habitat associations,” by Nicolas J. Deere et al.

MEDIA CONTACT: Nicolas J. Deere, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK; tel: +44(0)7517489440, +44(0)1227 816879 EXT. 7139; e-mail:

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