Wood is a Carbon Absorption Material
The forest breathes, trapping CO2 and pumping Oxygen into the atmosphere.
Trees absorb the maximum CO2 and releases the maximum O2 when growing, with the process of carbon capture slowing as a tree reaches maturity.
Harvesting a mature tree before it starts to deteriorate and rot prevents the process of decomposition and the associated release of CO2 back into the atmosphere.
The carbon captured in the mature tree is locked in the wood at the time of harvest and the new growth of young trees, growing into the space created in the canopy, increases the rate of carbon absorption at the site. The result is net carbon capture.
The care taken to protect the surrounding forest and the natural regeneration by new growth ensures that sustainable timber is a renewable material with a positive impact on carbon capture and our efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions.
PRIMARY FOREST
NET CARBON NEUTRAL
MANAGED FOREST
NET CARBON CAPTURE
The carbon performance of wood in comparison with other building materials:
Producing 1 ton of concrete emits 0.9 tons of CO2
Producing 1 ton of steel emits 1.24 tons of CO2
roducing 1 ton of aluminium emits 9.3 tons of CO2
Using 1 ton of wood absorbs on average 1 ton of CO2 from the atmosphere
Wood is a Renewable Material
The biggest threat to tropical forests is deforestation.
Forestry is important to resist pressure on standing forest from destructive activities such as mining and agriculture. The economic benefits (both to the local community and the country) of preserving the forest as a resource for sustainable timber coupled with the value of the standing forest for the sale of carbon credits ensures that a forest is more valuable when left intact under sustainable forestry management.
The total ‘biogenic’ carbon stored in the Guyana forest is estimated at an incredible 90.5 gigatonnes (90.5 billion tonnes). see map
Each hectare of forest contains between 500 to 1000 trees. Sustainable timber practices select two or three trees per hectare allowing for natural regeneration. In this way the forest continuously generates an income for the local population and retains a higher value as an intact ecosystem.
Using more timber products can have a positive difference for a more sustainable built environment - WoodforGood
Wood boasts several ecological advantages compared to traditional materials: it has low embodied energy, a low carbon impact and it is sustainable. It is the perfect material as all industries are increasingly required to demonstrate action towards reduced emissions and a reduced carbon footprint.