Conserving rainforests improves biodiversity and climate also reducing stress and respiratory diseases
According to the researchers, the reduction in cutting and burning of rainforests can significantly reduce the amount of particulate matter in the air. Thus, the number of hospitalizations and deaths due to respiratory diseases also decreases. Exposure to forests can reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases.
Conservation of rainforests reduces respiratory diseases and stress of the people living in those areas. In fact, it is also good for biodiversity and climate. It has a positive impact on the overall health of people. This information has come to light in a study by the University of Bonn and Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais in Brazil, published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment.
According to the researchers, a reduction in rainforest cutting and burning can reduce the amount of particulate matter in the air with ample efficiency. Thus, the number of respiratory disease-related hospitalizations and deaths also diminishes. Non-communicable disease risk can be diminished by mere exposure to forests. Spending time within the forest also reduces the levels of human stress hormones cortisol, progesterone, and adrenaline. Correspondingly, this diminishes the mental stress and keeps the people happy.
In 2019, about 70 thousand square km of forest was cut and burned in the Amazon region. This was assured because natural fires usually occur very rarely in the humid conditions of the area. After the destruction of forests, there came a huge increment in the number of patients with respiratory and non-communicable diseases in the surrounding large area. More than 1,000 people died after this incident. Therefore, in this respect, researchers researched the extent to which this affects the health of the people living around where measures have been sought to conserve forests.
