Drs. Moomaw, Masino, and Faison coined the term “proforestation” in a 2019 paper. They say that keeping existing forests intact and growing them to their ecological potential is a more effective, immediate, and low-cost approach that could be mobilized across suitable forests of all types. They conclude that proforestation serves the greatest public good by maximizing co-benefits such as nature-based biological carbon sequestration and unparalleled ecosystem services such as biodiversity enhancement, water and air quality, flood and erosion control, public health benefits, low impact recreation, and scenic beauty.
Forests annually sequester large quantities of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), and store carbon above and below ground for long periods of time. Intact forests—largely free from human intervention except primarily for trails and hazard removals—are the most carbon-dense and biodiverse terrestrial ecosystems, with additional benefits to society and the economy.
Read the full paper here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2019.00027/full
Read the interview with Dr. Moomar by Yale 360: https://e360.yale.edu/features/why-keeping-mature-forests-intact-is-key-to-the-climate-fight