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Disease rates were lower in areas where Amazon forests were managed by Indigenous communitiesHealth benefits were strongest when forest cover remained above 40%Experts say the research highlights the complexities of how ecosystems affect health

FRIDAY, Sept. 12, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Destroying the Amazon rainforest doesn’t just threaten the environment, it may also make people sick.

A study published Sept. 11 in the journal Communications Earth & Environment found that rates of certain diseases were lower in regions where forests were protected and managed by Indigenous peoples.

Researchers say the findings add evidence to what Indigenous communities have long believed: That human health and the health of the forest are deeply connected.

“The ‘forest man’ or ‘man fo

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