Forests, after all, cool the atmosphere by drinking in carbon dioxide from the air. A new study, however, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports that forests' other climatic effects can cancel out their carbon cleaning advantage in some parts of the world. Using a three-dimensional climate model, the research team mimicked full global deforestation and also studied the effects of clear-cutting in different regions of latitude, such as the tropics and boreal zones. Apparently, these natural carbon sinks only do their job effectively in tropical regions; in other areas, they have either no impact or actually contribute to warming the planet. In fact, according to this model, by the year 2100, if all the forests were cut and left to rot, the annual global mean temperature would decrease by more than 0.5 degree Fahrenheit.

Throughout the escalating climate change crises, much attention has been given to cleaning up the world's industrial plants.

But, according to researchers at the State University of New York, part of the solution could come from an entirely different kind of plant—trees. Scientists have long known that trees can help us to reduce energy use and clean the air of pollutants and gases we emit into the atmosphere.

But not all trees are created equal.

As part of a research project, students and faculty members at SUNY's College of Environmental Science and Forestry have determined the precise combination of trees that would be most effective in reducing the level of greenhouse gases in the air around Syracuse, NY.

Last December, Oregon State University forest scientist Dan Donato prepared an article for publication in Science indicating that the practice of forest recovery was not really a help to nature, and immediately found himself at the center of a heated debate.

It sounds like common sense: After a blaze razes a stretch of wooded area, why not clear out any remaining trees and replant new ones? This way, the timber industry picks up a tidy profit from everything left standing, and the forest seemingly gets to start with a green bill of health.

[However, according] to Donato's research, clumps of healthy trees left after forest fires are 70% more effective at reseeding surrounding areas than humans are. Further, harvesting burnt trees leaves lots of scrap twigs and broken branches behind—an ideal kindling for yet another fire.