To Protect Biodiversity and Prevent Future Pandemics, Stop Cutting Forests

By Michael Collins

Look to where a former pristine forest has been cut down and you may be looking at the next hotspot for a rising disease. A wide array of growing scientific studies are showing that loss of biodiversity and global warming are two trends driving species extinction. Essentially, an unhealthy habitat is a breeding ground for pests and diseases affecting not just wildlife, but humans. This is one reason why WellKind has launched our forestry program benefiting forest health. 

An unhealthy forest, one overly managed, thinned, or cut down, is a haven for disease. One reason for this is that the wildlife that tends to be able to transmit diseases to humans are the few species that remain and are able to survive in a damaged and deforested landscape. As the vast majority of other species die out or relocate away from an environment, the few that remain, like rats, often multiply without having competitors or predators and may be able to transmit diseases to humans. 

Another reason that logged and compromised environments are breeding grounds for disease is that the loss of shelter, food, and breeding range stresses wildlife and can cause them to catch diseases. In fact, “chronic wasting disease” is growing at an alarming rate among many deer populations in the United States. This disease was relatively rare until the 1990s and is now spreading like wildfire. While this particular disease is not transmittable to humans, it is just one example of hundreds of new diseases that are running rampant in wildlife at levels never previously observed. The biggest negative impacts to wildlife that can lead to stress and ill health are loss of habitat from logging, pollution, urban expansion, and global warming. 

Thus, by protecting forestlands and restoring habitat to health, we can protect human society from future pandemics. 

That is not the only reason that healthy forests are important to human health. Studies have shown that spending time in a forest or in nature can reduce high blood pressure, calm the mind and bring down stress levels. Some researchers are finding ways to treat those with heart disease and other chronic illnesses by having patients spend hours or even days in the woods. 

Years before the current pandemic, scientists have been drawing clear connections between climate change and diseases. A 2015 article from Environment International discusses how infectious air-borne diseases, such as influenza are directly affected by warmer temperatures. (Chen, Lu, Wu, Zhou) No doubt our continuing struggling with Covid-19 and its many variants is made more challenging by our environmental choices. 

At WellKind, we make the connection between forests and human health. Interested in learning how you can support the health of trees and forests? Visit our forestry page.