UK Forests and Climate Change.

A new series of four expert factsheets from @Forest_Research gets into the nuance below the headlines, and sorts the facts from the myths on this important and too frequently politicised topic: [Thread]
1. How does tree planting affect climate?
How much of a tree is carbon?
What role does timber play?
What is the effect of forests on carbon in soil?
What is the role of complex effects like albedo, VOCs and evapotranspiration? forestresearch.gov.uk/research/facts…
2. How can forestry help flooding in a changing climate?
What are the roles of evaporation, absorption, ‘leaky dams’?
How do you think at catchment-scale?
What are the limitations? forestresearch.gov.uk/research/facts…
3. Where should forest-to-bog restoration take place? Drying peatlands lose carbon, and old forests planted inappropriately can accelerate that loss. This factsheet surveys the evidence to recommend restoration where trees are growing at YC8 or less. forestresearch.gov.uk/research/facts…
4. More biodiverse woodlands are more resilient to pressures like climate change.
But what does ‘diversity’ mean?
Disentangle diversity of genetics, species, ecosystems, spatial scales;
why each is important;
and management interventions to deliver them. forestresearch.gov.uk/research/facts…

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More from @eleanormharris

26 Jan
The biggest carbon benefit of a new* forest comes from its large-scale production of low-carbon, recyclable resource. That's why UK #NetZero must be rooted in:
UKFS** designed
UKWAS*** certified
high-yielding****
new forests. confor.org.uk/media/247533/e…
#ReforestationConference Image
* We aren’t talking ancient woodland here, which covers around 2.5% of the UK. If anyone is talking to you about woodland establishment and showing photos of ancient woodland, ask questions.
** UKFS, the UK Forestry Standard, regulates all government-supported woodland creation in the UK. It protects important habitats and deep peat from planting, ensures diverse forest design, and requires water, soil, landscape and heritage protection. gov.uk/government/pub… Image
Read 5 tweets
3 Jan 20
The "landuse sector" have spent the 2010s tussling over carbon figures. But by far the biggest cause of climate change is still old-fashioned oil, coal and gas. [Mini thread]
It's imperative that in the 2020s, farmers, environmentalists, foresters and other rural businesses work together to keep the fossils in the ground. And we mustn't underestimate the tricks big fossil will play to ensure we collude in getting it out.
I hope my regular readers will know not cynical about oil because I'm a cynical person, or because I'm cynical about business, but because of overwhelming evidence that they're too deeply enmired in climate change to escape (although many individuals will)
Read 7 tweets
3 Dec 19
I try to avoid the news (because I think too much), but the #ClimateEmergency #COP25 headlines yesterday gave me my first proper climate anxiety for years.

Time to get out my old apocalyptic #ClimateEmergency blogs from 2012? eleanormharris.co.uk/2012/07/26/put…

Or plant trees? [Thread]
I escaped apocalyptic anxiety because I found hope, a very down-to-earth practical hope. We can decarbonise the atmosphere, and decarbonise our economy, by growing trees. Yep commercial trees.
Commercial trees are specially-bred to soak carbon from the air at super-speeds, store it in wood products, and drive the four horsemen of the climate apocalypse from our lives: cement, iron, oil, illegal logging. bbc.co.uk/news/world-eur…
Read 17 tweets
4 Oct 19
The important UK #StateOfNature report has just been launched. Here’s my woodlandy take on this vital snapshot of the life from which we all live. [Thread] nbn.org.uk/stateofnature2…
The gloomy headline is that abundance of 700 indicator species has declined 13% since 1970, with indications that the decline of nature may be accelerating. But I’m more interested in the detail, because that’s where we can change the trends. #StateOfNature
After agricultural intensification, #StateOfNature reveals that climate change is the biggest threat. While changes may initially be seen in distribution rather than decline of species, it is imperative that we tackle what is an unfolding and irreversible disaster for ecosystems.
Read 16 tweets
23 May 19
If you’re interested in low-carbon landscapes and green cities, I can’t recommend enough getting a coffee and watching this lecture by Elaine Oneil and George Berghorn in the @MSU_Forestry Forest Carbon and Climate programme. canr.msu.edu/news/fcwg-2018… [Thread]
After 20 years of management, conifers will have sequestered around 40t C/ha, but unmanaged natural regeneration less than 5. After 25 years managed conifers will have sequestered 80t/ha and natural regeneration less than 10.
The best option for carbon capture in the forest is to manage it but not harvest it: the top black line is managed but not harvested; the gold line is natural regeneration.
Read 17 tweets

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