A new study has found that tropical forests could regenerate quickly with little or no human intervention.

Published in the journal Science, the research comes from a team of ecologists dedicated to the study of secondary forests — areas that regrow naturally after land clearing or grazing.

The study shows abandoned forests can regrow their old-growth features, including soil health, tree attributes and ecosystem functions, in as little as 10 to 20 years. Some forests studied recovered 100 per cent of old-growth attributes within the first 20 years of regrowth.

The findings make the case for site-specific, locally tailored regeneration that relies on natural regrowth wherever possible.

"Our findings show that tropical forest regrowth is an effective and low-cost, nature-based strategy for promoting sustainable development, restoring ecosystems, slowing climate change and protecting biodiversity," the researchers wrote in an article for The Conversation.

Head here to read the study in full.

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