2023-05-24 16:00:00
UK forests, little known for their crucial role in the fight against climate change, have recently been the source of a surprising discovery. British researchers, using a three-dimensional scanning technique, found that these forests stored twice as much carbon as expected.
A recent study conducted by Ecological Solutions and Evidence used state-of-the-art technology to map and assess the amount of carbon stored in UK forests. The results of the latter reminded us of the vital importance of trees in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A discovery that sparks renewed interest in the preservation of forests, as a natural solution to the climate emergency.
It is this three-dimensional scanning technology, which the researchers used to analyze nearly 1,000 trees in the forest of Wytham, located in Oxfordshire. This allowed them to obtain an accurate representation of each tree and its structure. The result is clear: “When you know the density of wood, you can convert volume to mass” explains Mathias Disney, professor at University College London. “Half of that mass happens to be carbon, the other half water.”
Forests, a real solution to the climate emergency
Forests, in addition to being an essential habitat for a variety of plants and animals, play a key role in the carbon cycle. Simply put, through photosynthesis, trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in their wood and roots. This capacity can prove to be a valuable resource for offsetting the carbon emissions generated by human activities (transport, electricity, etc.)
Yet UK green spaces are often associated with scenic landscapes or tourist destinations. Finally, it is clear that they can play a crucial role in the fight against climate change. The goal would then be to protect existing forests, or even to encourage reforestation, to maximize their storage potential. Even more, according to Mathias Disney, this discovery indicates that, for each km2 lost of forest, “we have potentially lost twice as much carbon storage capacity as previously thought”.
The importance of watching over the ancestors of our forests
Furthermore, the study also examines the case of “adult trees”, underlining the difficulty of compensating for the importance of their role, by simply planting new trees. “The value of old trees is virtually priceless, so preserving them at all costs is essential, no matter how many trees we wish to plant. These large trees play an extremely important role”, warns Mathias Disney. A solution, which would therefore test our ability to preserve the environment…
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