The team then subtracted existing forests and also urban areas and land used for agriculture.
If those spaces were filled with trees that already flourish nearby, the new growth could store 205 gigatons of carbon by the time the forests mature.
Earth could naturally support 4.4 billion hectares of forest (colors in top map; gray represents areas such as desert that have no potential).
Crowther says he began to study reforestation because he was really looking for ways to stop species loss.
Yet she says any replanting should begin as soon as possible because climate change is likely to compromise forests' ability to grow.
Crowther adds that although climate change will allow more trees to grow in northern latitudes, it will also dry out tropical latitudes.
All the new tree work, Chazdon says, signals that "we're entering into the practicality stage" of smart reforestation. »
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