CAN CUTTING DOWN TREES HELP PREVENT CLIMATE CHANGE?
Climate change prevention has become a global priority as leading scientist warn we only have 12-years to limit the catastrophe.
With increased efforts to turn things around and a cry to plant more trees and crack down on illegal logging. It got us thinking about what the woodworking industry could do to help combat climate change.
Although this sounds contradictory, if managed correctly, cutting down trees could prove to be a key-solution in tackling carbon emissions.
Cutting down trees might seem antithetical, but this theory has been back up by the Forrest Commission who sate. ‘If harvested during optimum growth-cycle and new trees are planted or allowed to regenerate, this could keep the forest as a net “sink” of carbon.
Carbon absorption from trees
Studies found that when new trees are growing they absorb more carbon dioxide at a faster rate, to aid growth. As the tree matures, this rapid rate of absorption will dramatically start to slow and level out. This indicates that if the carbon cycle of a tree is monitored carefully, and trees are cut down and replanted at the right time, we could actually increase the absorption of carbon dioxide.
Although this is not a fool proof plan as there are understandably concerns as to how this will affect wildlife and habitats, but it’s certainly food for thought, and presents a feasible solution for change
We hope you enjoyed reading this article, and why not let us know your thoughts on that matter.
