Found across the cool climes of the Northern Hemisphere, from North America across Western and Eastern Europe as far as Japan, two types of temperate forests call our planet home: deciduous and coniferous.
Soil-rich deciduous forests exist in an age-old cycle of growth and regrowth, losing their leaves in the autumn before regaining them in the spring, their colours reflecting the four distinct seasons of the year and providing a glorious backdrop for anyone lucky enough to visit.
Our deciduous forests are the lungs of the planet, helping us to breathe and providing a rich habitat for everything from bears, racoons and deer to snakes, snails and spiders. Over two billion people rely on deciduous forests, and these habitats are working hard every day to mitigate the effects of climate change, decrease soil erosion, and provide food, fuel and protection. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that we rely on them for our continued survival.
Meanwhile, evergreen coniferous forests spread for miles across the coldest and driest swathes of our planet, adapting to survive throughout the seasons. These hardy landscapes are built to withstand the coldest of weathers - from the most remote parts of Canada, across northern Europe, to the vast mountain ranges of Asia and the distant climes of Siberia.
Found in our most northern regions, blasts of Arctic air keep evergreen coniferous forests cold in winter and cool in summer. Winter snow and rain in the warmer months help to keep the level of moisture needed to sustain life in this seemingly harsh environment.
Making up one third of the planet’s forests, fast-growing evergreen coniferous forests are essential stores for the world’s carbon. As the planet warms and we face increasingly warmer temperatures, the planting of evergreen trees such as pines over broadleaf trees that store less carbon is being encouraged.
Covering almost 10 million square kilometres, temperate forests are packed with life - and the ecosystems found within them are essential to the continued maintenance of life on Earth.
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