Trees and carbon
Can the creation of a mixed, wooded landscape help to reduce the negative effects of climate change and assist us in adapting to new conditions?
Trees and forest soils do absorb carbon. The National Forest has updated its figures for what is known as ‘carbon sequestration’, the process whereby carbon dioxide is absorbed through the tree’s photosynthesis. On average, each tree will sequester 79kg of carbon, equivalent to 290kg of carbon dioxide, over an 80 year period of growth. The exact rate depends on the soil, the species, the growth rate, and the age of the tree.
The current consensus is that tree planting alone cannot meet our carbon reduction needs: given the rate at which sequestration happens and levels of carbon emissions, there is simply not enough land for planting the equivalent number of trees which would be needed. However, tree planting does help and as the trees mature, they will make an increasing contribution to the United Kingdom's ambitious long-term aim of achieving a 60% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.
Tree planting is a therefore a long-term investment towards creating a more stable planet whilst it cannot alone compensate for human activity that generates carbon emissions. Individuals and businesses will also have to undertake changes to their lifestyles, activities and priorities. Planting trees for carbon sequestration therefore plays a significant role in providing additional benefit when other mechanisms to reduce emissions have already been introduced.
National Forest Company, Enterprise Glade, Bath Yard, Moira, Swadlincote, Derbyshire DE12 6BA.
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