Global deforestation is not a doom-laden future hypothesis, but a reality. Every year, forest areas the size of Austria are lost to the cultivation of crops, livestock, and the expansion of cities and infrastructure. This book is a tribute to and exploration of forests at a time when we urgently need to understand and protect them. It explores different forest types and their development according to local climate and soil conditions. It maps the largest contiguous forest areas and examines why a mixed forest is more resilient than a monoculture. A rich source of information for all those concerned with the natural world, climate change, and environmental protection. From the vibrancy of the tropics and subtropics to the mythical eciduous forests of Europe and the vast boreal coniferous breadth that stretches over the northern hemisphere, this is a vital journey through the precious green eco- systems around the globe.