LOCKING UP OUR CARBON
in THE NATIONAL FOREST
The Carbon Sink.
CO2
CO2
Carbon (C) stored in forests,
organic soil matter, oceanic
plankton, mineral reserves coal, oil & gas.
CO2
CO2
More
and more carbon
is locked into a tree’s
structure as it grows. This is
known as carbon sequestration.
50% of a tree’s dry weight is carbon.
A hundred year old oak contains 3
tonnes of carbon.
Global
warming
is caused
by gases in
the atmosphere
which absorb the
sun’s energy that is
normally radiated back into
space. One of the major
‘greenhouse gases’ is
carbon dioxide (CO 2)
Planting trees & shrubs helps to
offset the effects of pollution.
Carbon is taken out of the
atmosphere by trees as
they photosynthesise.
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The Carbon Cycle is a
natural process whereby
carbon is inter-changed
between the atmosphere
and the earth’s biomass.
TO DERBY
TO STOKE-ON-TRENT
The Midlands Coalfields lie under large parts of The
National Forest. Coal, formed from the fossilised
remains of prehistoric forests, has been mined in
the area for centuries. Burning the coal releases
large amounts of carbon that has been locked up
for millennia. Since the industrial revolution 850
billion tonnes of CO 2 has been emitted due to
combustion of fossil fuels worldwide.
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As
a commitment to
a more sustainable
future, the UK has pledged
to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
This requires us to reduce our
greenhouse gas emissions by
12.5% between 1990 and the
average for the years 20082012 (equivalent to 25.4
million tonnes of carbon
per year).
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Replanting
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Woodland
Midland Coalfields
The National Forest is making a
significant contribution to offsetting
carbon emissions. It represents a physical
demonstration of the UK’s obligations
to reduce atmospheric carbon.
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In 2004 The National Forest Company
commissioned a report by the Centre of
Ecology and Hydrology in order to more
fully understand the implications of tree
planting on mitigating the effects of
environmental pollution.
LEICESTER
Natural
Decay
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However, mitigation is only part of the solution. We all need to
choose a less energy-consuming lifestyle if the effects of global
warming are to be confronted.
!
www.nationalforest.org
The National Forest Company
is sponsored by Defra
The
amount of
carbon emitted
in the exhaust of
11,000 average
family cars
in a year.
The
net annual carbon
emissions of 1,000
British households.
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The creation of The National Forest can be sensibly regarded as a
move in the right direction. Supporting the Forest, in any way, is a
worthwhile step to take towards reducing atmospheric carbon.
14%
of the amount
of the region’s
quota for the
reduction of greenhouse
gas emissions as
outlined in the Kyoto
agreement and
0.05% of the
nation’s
contribution.
One tonne of carbon = 33
sacks of coal.
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The National Forest is an exemplar of sustainable
development. It fulfills a number of key objectives
including environmental benefits, landscape
enhancement, use of renewable resources,
boosting the rural economy and
community participation,
all in one place.
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In the period 2008-12 the National
Forest area will be absorbing carbon
at the rate of 43 million kilograms a
year. This is equivalent to...
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The National Forest Company
is striving to stimulate the
woodland economy by giving
advice and support to forest
- related businesses.
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Woodfuel installations
Wood is a natural, versatile,
sustainable and beautiful product
that has a huge range of uses
from construction to furniture,
floorboards to books. Wooden
items continue to lock up
carbon for the life time of
the product.
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WHITWICK
OVERSEAL
ALREWAS
For more information visit
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Harvesting &
Processing
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Creating, through working partnerships and
with community participation, a new 200
square mile multi-purpose forest for the
nation at the Heart of England.
converted into pellets
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WE ALL HAVE A PART TO PLAY
Residues e.g. sawdust,
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...a forest in the making
There are currently four wood-fuel
heating installations in The
National Forest with several
more due to follow shortly.
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Many new woodlands in The National
Forest have been created on reclaimed
coal mine sites.
Timber resulting from
thinning operations and byproducts from wood processing
industry can be used in wood-fuel
boilers to produce heat and / or
electricity as an efficient,
sustainable alternative to fossil
fuels. Wood is termed a ‘Carbonneutral’ fuel as it only releases
carbon that it has already
absorbed from the
atmosphere.
Woodland Management
The National Forest
Company recognises
that a healthy forest
is a well-managed
forest. As such it is
promoting sound
silvicultural practice
including prunning
to generate trees of
timber-producing
potential, thinning
the young woodlands
as they develop,
harvesting timber
crops and replanting.
The National Forest is creating new
woodland at a staggering rate.
Since its creation in 1995 tree
cover in the region has more than
doubled to 16%. Already more than
6 million trees have been planted.
Ultimately woodland will cover a
third of the Forest area.
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While CO 2 is naturally
occurring its concentration is
rapidly increasing because of the
burning of fossil fuels - coal, oil &
gas. Human activity is not only
producing more CO 2 but it is also
severely damaging the ability of
the earth to absorb carbon via
its carbon sinks - oceanic
plankton and forests.
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Atmospheric
CO2
Thinning
The
amount of carbon
contained in 400,000
sacks of coal.
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One tonne of CO2
contains 0.27 tonnes
of carbon.
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One tonne of CO2 =
500 cubic metres (the
size of an average
swimming pool)
Slowly decaying timber and leaf
litter gradually releases its carbon
component when it is incorporated
either into the soil’s organic
matter, or into the atmosphere.
This forms part of the
natural carbon cycle.
The National Forest Biodiversity
Action Plan recognises the
importance of deadwood in the
woodland ecology as a habitat
for an array of organisms,
including many invertebrates,
fungi and bats.