Clear-cutting causes lasting damage to forest biodiversity

Clear-cut logging inflicts far more severe and long-lasting harm on forest biodiversity than previously understood, according to two large international studies reported by Yle.

The research, published in the peer-reviewed journals Nature Sustainability and Biological Conservation, shows that a significant portion of forest species do not return even a century after repeated clear-cutting. The entire biological community can change permanently, raising concerns for ecosystem function.

Jari Kouki, professor of forest ecology at the University of Eastern Finland, said northern coniferous forest species are particularly affected. Lichens living on dead tree trunks, beetles dependent on dead wood, and some mosses decline sharply. Small mammals such as mice and voles, however, recover relatively quickly.

The studies, based on over 300 scientific sources, tracked changes over decades—longer than most prior research. Scientists recommend protecting old-growth forests, reducing the frequency of clear-cutting, and leaving more retention trees in logged areas. Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland and the Natural Resources Institute Finland contributed to the work.