As the 2026 El Niño strengthens across the Amazon, new research is drawing attention to a conservation priority that often receives less emphasis: protecting forests that are still standing from damage caused by fires and logging.
Efforts to stop deforestation and restore cleared land are central to many conservation programs. But a new study published in Science suggests that preventing disturbances within existing forests, including selective logging and wildfires, can sometimes deliver the greatest benefits for the money spent.
An international research team from the UK, Brazil, Sweden and Australia, led by scientists at Lancaster University, carried out what the researchers describe as the first systematic comparison of its kind. The team evaluated different strategies for protecting existing forests and restoring forests on agricultural land.
