Russian forests are on the rise – despite the Russian National Forest Inventory (NFI) reporting no change in growing stocks since the fall of the Soviet Union – with NASA images revealing a new hotspot for tree growth, which, if undisturbed, could offset tropical forest losses.
That is according to a new study, Russian forests show strong potential for young forest growth, published by Nature. Led by Christopher S. R. Neigh from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre, the study found that Russia – home to 63% of the world’s boreal forests – is the primary driver of carbon stock, all thanks to its young and fast-growing northern forests.
“The satellite record provides unprecedented spatial information on boreal forest height and stand age” the study said: “We found that hotspots are strongest in southwestern Russia, where forest height potential is substantial….Russian forests hold the second highest amount of above-ground biomass and have some of the most productive lands for growing tall boreal forest stands over a large domain.”
Why climate change is driving Boreal Forests northward
In June 2023, Wood Central reported that climate change drives a significant northward migration of the vast forests. The research, published by Wageningen University, found that the shift occurs faster at southern boreal boundaries than at northern ones.
As the climate warms, boreal forests migrate north, with trees thriving in previously cold areas. However, at the same time, the southern forests become too warm and dry for trees to survive.
“The rates at which these two processes happen are key. The southern boreal may lose trees much faster than the northern boreal gains trees through expansion,” says lead author Ronny Rotbarth, a PhD candidate at Wageningen University & Research. “Such a mismatch would indicate a contraction of the biome.”
According to the new research, Russia’s widespread disturbance of young, short stands “has the potential to have the most significant height growth within the entire boreal domain…young boreal forests have been found to be a globally significant carbon sink, and our results provide empirical evidence of their current potential.”
For more information: Neigh, C.S.R., Montesano, P.M., Sexton, J.O. et al. Russian forests show strong potential for young forest growth. Commun Earth Environ 6, 71 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02006-9