Forest fact
Forests play a huge role in the well-being of our planet. We at Onepuu are aware of the value of our forests and want to spread this knowledge to others as well.
On this page you can find information about the role of forests in climate change management, the role of forests as a carbon sink and the sensitive ecosystem of forests. The source list is at the bottom of the page.
The importance of forests to the earth
Violent storms and floods have caused great damage to buildings and roads in recent years. According to many experts, extreme weather events will become more common in the future. At the center of everything is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide emissions should be urgently reduced, and forests play a decisive role in this.
Tree biomass consists of water, nutrients and carbon, which comes from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Basically, the more trees there are, the less carbon dioxide there is in the atmosphere. The Earth’s forests remove 8.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year, which roughly corresponds to a third of the annual carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.
Forest fact
Forests play a huge role in the well-being of our planet. We at Onepuu are aware of the value of our forests and want to spread this knowledge to others as well.
On this page you can find information about the role of forests in climate change management, the role of forests as a carbon sink and the sensitive ecosystem of forests. The source list is at the bottom of the page.
The importance of forests to the earth
Violent storms and floods have caused great damage to buildings and roads in recent years. According to many experts, extreme weather events will become more common in the future. At the center of everything is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide emissions should be urgently reduced, and forests play a decisive role in this.
Tree biomass consists of water, nutrients and carbon, which comes from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Basically, the more trees there are, the less carbon dioxide there is in the atmosphere. The Earth’s forests remove 8.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year, which roughly corresponds to a third of the annual carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.
Northern forests are the largest ecosystem in the world
After the oceans, forests and biomass are the largest carbon store. Finland’s forests belong to the northern coniferous forest zone, which stretches from Scandinavia to Siberia and North America. Northern forests are the largest ecosystem in the world.
We are only beginning to realize the importance of the old forest in the fight against climate change. Of all forests on Earth, 60% are northern coniferous forests, 30% tropical rainforests and the remaining 10% other forests.
Northern forests sequester more carbon per hectare than the same size area in the Amazon rainforest. In rainforests, on the other hand, the decomposition process is so fast that carbon returns to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. In the cool and humid forests of the north, black soil binds a lot of carbon and it ends up in the soil. Finland’s forests therefore have an excellent ability to bind and store carbon.
It is therefore very important to protect forests and we must understand how important a role our forests play in the fight against climate change.
Northern forests are the largest ecosystem in the world
After the oceans, forests and biomass are the largest carbon store. Finland’s forests belong to the northern coniferous forest zone, which stretches from Scandinavia to Siberia and North America. Northern forests are the largest ecosystem in the world.
We are only beginning to realize the importance of the old forest in the fight against climate change. Of all forests on Earth, 60% are northern coniferous forests, 30% tropical rainforests and the remaining 10% other forests.
Northern forests sequester more carbon per hectare than the same size area in the Amazon rainforest. In rainforests, on the other hand, the decomposition process is so fast that carbon returns to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. In the cool and humid forests of the north, black soil binds a lot of carbon and it ends up in the soil. Finland’s forests therefore have an excellent ability to bind and store carbon.
It is therefore very important to protect forests and we must understand how important a role our forests play in the fight against climate change.
Forests and climate change
Forests play a huge role in mitigating climate change. Forests and other biomass bind carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as a result of the connection and act as significant carbon sinks. Globally, the loss of forests, e.g. due to agricultural expansion and construction, is one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
Based on more recent research results, old forests are carbon sinks. The growth of the biomass carbon stock continues for a long time – perhaps hundreds of years – although the growth rate decreases as the forest ages. The carbon stocks of soil and decaying wood also seem to increase as the forest ages.
A huge amount of carbon is bound in the living and dead biomass of old natural forests, much more per hectare than in the stands of production forests. If such a forest is cut down, the result is the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. After clear-cutting, the forest becomes a source of emissions for 15–30 years. By letting the forest grow, you can also directly fight against global warming.
The forest absorbs carbon as the trees grow and connect. In connection, plants produce sugar and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water with the help of sunlight. At the same time, carbon is stored in plants.
Forests and climate change
Forests play a huge role in mitigating climate change. Forests and other biomass bind carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as a result of the connection and act as significant carbon sinks. Globally, the loss of forests, e.g. due to agricultural expansion and construction, is one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
Based on more recent research results, old forests are carbon sinks. The growth of the biomass carbon stock continues for a long time – perhaps hundreds of years – although the growth rate decreases as the forest ages. The carbon stocks of soil and decaying wood also seem to increase as the forest ages.
A huge amount of carbon is bound in the living and dead biomass of old natural forests, much more per hectare than in the stands of production forests. If such a forest is cut down, the result is the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. After clear-cutting, the forest becomes a source of emissions for 15–30 years. By letting the forest grow, you can also directly fight against global warming.
The forest absorbs carbon as the trees grow and connect. In connection, plants produce sugar and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water with the help of sunlight. At the same time, carbon is stored in plants.
How much carbon dioxide do trees bind?
For example, in northern forests, such as the Aurora forest we own, it takes about 70 to 100 years for a spruce tree to grow to its full size. The trunk volume of a full-grown spruce varies a lot, but if it is assumed to be one cubic meter, the amount of carbon it contains corresponds to about 750 kg of carbon dioxide. With one hectare of 80-year-old spruce, the total volume of the stand can be, for example, 300 cubic meters. This corresponds to approximately 225,000 kg of carbon dioxide bound by trees, of which 60,750 kg is carbon. The amount can be even higher than this.
So how does a tree use the carbon it collects? Trees use about half of the carbon they collect from the atmosphere for growth, i.e. building biomass. Part of this is allocated to long-lived support and transport structures such as the trunk, branches and thick roots. The other part is used for quickly wilting parts such as leaves, fine roots or bark.
How much carbon dioxide do trees bind?
For example, in northern forests, such as the Aurora forest we own, it takes about 70 to 100 years for a spruce tree to grow to its full size. The trunk volume of a full-grown spruce varies a lot, but if it is assumed to be one cubic meter, the amount of carbon it contains corresponds to about 750 kg of carbon dioxide. With one hectare of 80-year-old spruce, the total volume of the stand can be, for example, 300 cubic meters. This corresponds to approximately 225,000 kg of carbon dioxide bound by trees, of which 60,750 kg is carbon. The amount can be even higher than this.
So how does a tree use the carbon it collects? Trees use about half of the carbon they collect from the atmosphere for growth, i.e. building biomass. Part of this is allocated to long-lived support and transport structures such as the trunk, branches and thick roots. The other part is used for quickly wilting parts such as leaves, fine roots or bark.
Deforestation
Industrial forestry favors open felling. After felling, new saplings are planted and they are ready for felling in 70-80 years, depending on the soil and the area’s altitude above sea level. Soon after felling, the fungi disappear, thanks to which the carbon from the trees is stored in the soil. Fungi live in symbiosis with tree roots. When the roots die, the fungi disappear.
It takes a long time before the new seedlings bind and store carbon dioxide as much as the old forest. When there are no trees, carbon dioxide can evaporate from the soil into the air. Growing logging increases carbon emissions from more and wider areas. In order for the emissions to be zeroed out, the new forest should bind carbon equal to the emissions from the soil, but before that, it will have time to be felled again. Resetting is not possible in such an economic forest. It takes hundreds of years for the forest to return to its natural state. The trees in commercial forests never grow that old.
There is a big difference between planted and old forest. In a planted forest, all the trees are the same age and only a few species live there. There are few insects and therefore also few birds. Compared to the old forest, the planted forest is a poor ecosystem. The biggest difference, however, is that in an old forest, the carbon contained in the trees remains in the ground.
Deforestation
Industrial forestry favors open felling. After felling, new saplings are planted and they are ready for felling in 70-80 years, depending on the soil and the area’s altitude above sea level. Soon after felling, the fungi disappear, thanks to which the carbon from the trees is stored in the soil. Fungi live in symbiosis with tree roots. When the roots die, the fungi disappear.
It takes a long time before the new seedlings bind and store carbon dioxide as much as the old forest. When there are no trees, carbon dioxide can evaporate from the soil into the air. Growing logging increases carbon emissions from more and wider areas. In order for the emissions to be zeroed out, the new forest should bind carbon equal to the emissions from the soil, but before that, it will have time to be felled again. Resetting is not possible in such an economic forest. It takes hundreds of years for the forest to return to its natural state. The trees in commercial forests never grow that old.
There is a big difference between planted and old forest. In a planted forest, all the trees are the same age and only a few species live there. There are few insects and therefore also few birds. Compared to the old forest, the planted forest is a poor ecosystem. The biggest difference, however, is that in an old forest, the carbon contained in the trees remains in the ground.
The forest ecosystem
The old forest is also home to a huge number of animals that depend on each other. For example, nest holes made by the black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) can also later be nested by many other birds and animals, such as common golden eye, northern hawk owl, boreal owl, and martens.
Forest birds get their food from insects, and insects live in close cooperation with fungi. In autumn, mushrooms emerge from the forest floor and rotten tree trunks. However, fungi exist all the time because fungal mycelia weave through the forest floor and decaying trees. Fungal mycelia can cover an area of hectares. When a tree falls in the forest, the fungi slowly decompose the dead tree and its roots into soil. Carbon from wood remains in the soil as permanent compounds. Fungi ensure that carbon ends up in the soil. In this way, the soil’s carbon reserves have been formed. More than half of the carbon stocks in forests are the result of the activity of fungi.
In old forests, the forest floor is completely covered with plants. In this way, carbon stocks are not released into the atmosphere. Decayed trees are not wasted, but an incredibly diverse biotope of fungi and mosses grows in them. The larvae of many insects live in the decaying trunks of the old forest. More species live in an old forest than in a young forest.
To understand the forest, it cannot be viewed as individual trees, insects or fungi. The mutual interaction of the species is the basis for the functions of the forest. If the forest is not disturbed, the trees can live to be over 500 years old. Carbon stocks are therefore permanent and long-term. Pristine ecosystems balance the climate and clean the air and water.
The forest ecosystem
The old forest is also home to a huge number of animals that depend on each other. For example, nest holes made by the black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) can also later be nested by many other birds and animals, such as common golden eye, northern hawk owl, boreal owl, and martens.
Forest birds get their food from insects, and insects live in close cooperation with fungi. In autumn, mushrooms emerge from the forest floor and rotten tree trunks. However, fungi exist all the time because fungal mycelia weave through the forest floor and decaying trees. Fungal mycelia can cover an area of hectares. When a tree falls in the forest, the fungi slowly decompose the dead tree and its roots into soil. Carbon from wood remains in the soil as permanent compounds. Fungi ensure that carbon ends up in the soil. In this way, the soil’s carbon reserves have been formed. More than half of the carbon stocks in forests are the result of the activity of fungi.
In old forests, the forest floor is completely covered with plants. In this way, carbon stocks are not released into the atmosphere. Decayed trees are not wasted, but an incredibly diverse biotope of fungi and mosses grows in them. The larvae of many insects live in the decaying trunks of the old forest. More species live in an old forest than in a young forest.
To understand the forest, it cannot be viewed as individual trees, insects or fungi. The mutual interaction of the species is the basis for the functions of the forest. If the forest is not disturbed, the trees can live to be over 500 years old. Carbon stocks are therefore permanent and long-term. Pristine ecosystems balance the climate and clean the air and water.
We at One Tree believe that attitudes towards our forests and nature can be changed – one tree at a time. That’s why we want to give everyone the opportunity to own this one unique tree. So join the growing group of tree owners!
