Carbon Sequestration

[Forestry_Commission]

Hi Everyone - Vicky here from the Forestry Commission. I'll have a go at explaining where we're coming from:

Firstly, the UK's woodlands do sequester carbon at the moment, so each year they take around 10 megatonnes of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. This is equivalent to around 2% of the UK's emissions of greenhouse gases. OK not a massive proportion, but a start. Interestingly, UK emissions of greenhouse gases are around 2% of global emissions, but we can't just say we (the UK) can't be bothered to do anything about our emissions - we need to do everything we can to cut them. In the same way although the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by UK woodlands is small, it does help, from the atmosphere's point of view.

Second, woodlands sequester in their growth phase and become 'carbon neutral' once they reach maturity so for the woodlands to keep removing CO2 from the atmosphere, we need to keep planting new ones (or harvest timber from the ones we've got, use the timber in long-life products, and make sure there's new trees growing somehow).

And finally ... like it or not there are lots of companies out there who offer 'woodland carbon sequestration' as an option to 'offset' carbon emissions. As you all point out there is some scepticism surrounding their real benefits. What we are trying to do is to create a standard (The Woodland Carbon Code) for such businesses, or any landowner/manager interested in 'selling' the carbon accrued on their land. Whoever wants to meet the standard would have to get certified to the Code in a manner similar to UK Woodland Assurance Standard, so that there is more confidence that the carbon they say is sequestered really is. We're not advocating this as the preferred 1st option - we want people to a) stop emitting if they can b) reduce the emissions they still end up making c) then think about planting some new woodland to sequester carbon.

And last not least - like Kris says: Hopefully it will mean that there is more money available for those of you interested in creating new woodlands ;-)

See also this thread: http://www.swog.org.uk/forum/topic.php?id=705

Vicky

[carlight]

hi FC / Vicky ,

- just a quick thank you for the input ,that is written in a style that a humble manual worker , such as i , can understand . - the official- press -release -type of communication generally leaves me baffled ,and seems to be created solely for other office inhabitants to understand .

(am still not sure whether running a carbon-using office to find a solution ,is in fact part of the problem . I think douglas adams presented an idea )

[woodbodger]

Yes I am with Carlight I understood most of that, but what about my existing woodland, as I understand things it is still sucking up co2's and any work or replanting I do sucks up more of these Co2's couldn't somebody purchase my woods sponging ability, I'm thinking about £500 per acre per year would seem reasonable!

[Forestry_Commission]

Hiya

Well, we have to remember that younger woodlands pre-maturity grow fastest and take up CO2 the quickest - Once the woodland is mature, the bigger trees grow more slowly and it kind of reaches an equilibrium where the carbon 'soaked up' is balanced by carbon 'removed' from the woodland by a) any timber removed or b) deadwood and leaf litter which releases carbon as it decays. At the moment, mature woodlands wouldn't be covered by the Woodland Carbon Code - Sorry!

However, there may be ways in future to count what your woodland does if you are managing it and creating long-lasting products from the timber. ..... Although the mature woodland is in effect 'carbon netural', you are also taking carbon out in the form of timber products and in future you may be able to count the carbon which is 'locked' into a joist or timber frame for the next 100 years. Equally even if you are harvesting woodfuel in future you may be able to claim the carbon benefit of using woodfuel instead of coal, oil or gas (for heat and electricity generation).... Watch this space ..... and enjoy your woodland in the mean time!

Vicky

[Darren]

What about coppice? It grows alot quicker that a newly planted trees.

[woodbodger]

I can remember at school many many years ago being convinced that if I connected the shaft of an electric engine to a generator I could generate enough power to run my engine as well as other tools as well, my physics teacher was good enough to point out the errors in my thinking but I was only twelve: I am over 60 now and what he taught me still holds true and no I can't pull myself up by my own shoelaces! So what an earth is any body doing messing around with trying to offset carbon by planting trees! Perhaps Carlights hint is right we need an improbability machine and a cup of tea!

[wrekin]

Keeping carbon out of the atmosphere for the next hundred years is a worthwhile thing in itself.

Even if it was all released in August 2110, it would still have helped keep CO2 levels down while we were transitioning away from fossil fuels. We're not going to be in the same situation then as we are now.

[woodbodger]

My ghast is flabbered methinks I must retire.

[Kris Hemin]

As Darren say "What about coppice" I imagine the FC will have a code for that as, say, we have 15Tonnes/annum as regrowth in such woodlands. Ad infinitum, though they do need soil care, of course.

Also, Vicky, mature woodland soils still build up carbon in addition to replacing any timber extracted from the site. This could be further encouraged using management mechanisms like cut branches/whole trees and leave to rot//burn to charcoal.

But Woodbodger I not sure why your ghast is so flabbered. In fact i'm not totally sure in which way the flabber tilts but if we define :

Verb: To offset - to pay someone £X to plant and maintain woodland onto existing carbon poor land, eg sheep grazed Welsh hillside in order to assuage your personal feelings of guilt for having just eg flown to the Seyshelles.

then yes, the system reduces the net atmospheric carbon total. Cunning future management will continue the carbon extraction in perpetuity. Surely a good thing and I hope your ghast gets better soon!

[woodbodger]

No it's getting worse, my psychiatrist says my gullibility quotient is too low.