The replanting of trees on areas of land where forests have been cleared by felling or burning (see deforestation) or by natural means. Reforestation is particularly important in countries, such as Brazil, where large areas of forest have been destroyed by deforestation, although planted forest has much less species diversity (see biodiversity) than the original forest. It also helps to counteract global emissions of carbon dioxide, by fixing the gas as plant material, and to stabilize the exchange of water vapour with the atmosphere and prevent shifts in rainfall patterns. Hence reforestation can play a part in slowing global warming and climate change due to the greenhouse effect.