Reduce Global Warming: Farm the Forests
compiled by David Barth, June 16, 2008
From Wired, June 2008, page 160.
Unmanaged forests contribute to global warming by releasing CO2 when they either burn or die and rot. Up to about
age 55, trees absorb about 1,500 pounds of CO2, but beyond that age, their growth and CO2 absorbing
ability slows.
A report commissioned by the Canadian government showed that in many years, the 583 million acres of woods in Canada
actually release more CO2 than they absorb due to decomposition of fallen timber.
Reducing greenhouse gases emitted by a forest involves cutting and removing mature trees and planting new ones. In this
way a forest can continue to be a net user of CO2 instead of a net emitter.