March 10, 2009 -- The ashes of communism have proven fertile indeed. It's been almost 20 years since the Berlin Wall fell, and all across Eastern Europe, the forests are growing back in force. It's no coincidence, according to a new analysis of land use patterns in the region. The economies of the Soviet Union and its satellite states relied heavily on large-scale communal farming and a Moscow-sponsored logging industry, which devastated the region's wilderness for almost 50 years. When the great communist experiment collapsed, private citizens got their lands back and governments began stepping in to protect what woodlands remained. It had a huge impact -- European forests reclaimed 8,139 square miles of land between 1990 and 2005, an area twice the size of Rhode Island. "People talk a lot about deforestation, but this is reforestation, and it's happening on a grand scale," said Gregory Taff of the University of Memphis. Related Content:
Taff led a team of researchers that tracked forest coverage in Russia and the 15 eastern European countries that once lay behind the Iron Curtain. The findings are due to be published this summer in the book "Reforesting Landscapes," by Springer. The implications are profound. Trees suck carbon dioxide out of the air and lock it up in their wood and leaves, making them an important resource in the fight against global warming. But since the fall of the Soviet empire, Europe is the only continent to register an overall gain in forestland. Despite the region's re-greening, the planet still lost an area bigger than California to deforestation. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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