How the World Land Trust Carbon Balanced Paper Program Reduces Illegal Logging and Biodiversity Loss
Illegal logging has devastating consequences for natural habitats and the climate. Research by the University of Leeds, in partnership with World Land Trust, highlights the significant environmental damage caused by illegal logging, including the release of vast amounts of stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In Vietnam specifically - but also in the other three Carbon Balanced-supported World Land Trust projects (Guatemala, Ecuador and Mexico) - illegal logging remains an ever-present threat to both biodiversity and local communities. In Vietnam, illegal logging releases up to 130,000 metric tons of CO2 annually, harming both local ecosystems and contributing to climate change. For example, the Dong Chau-Khe Nuoc Trong forest in Vietnam is home to over 40 vulnerable animal species, including nine endangered and ten critically endangered species, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).