Managing existing forests can mitigate climate change

Planting new forests has received scientific and political attention as a measure to mitigate climate change. Large, have been planted in places like China Ethiopia and, over time, billion hectares could become available globally for planting forests. Sustainable management of forests, which are wood production, less despite these covering at least two globally. Better existing would improve forest growth help change by increasing the carbon (C) stock, storing C products, generating wood-based materials substituting fossil based or other CO2-emission-intensive materials. Some published research assumes trade-off between timber harvested from stock those ecosystems, asserting that both cannot increase simultaneously. We tested this assumption using uniquely detailed inventory data Finland, Norway Sweden, hereafter denoted northern Europe. focused on period 1960 – 2017, saw little total area covered At start period, rotational forestry practices began diffuse, eventually replacing selective felling systems most common practice. Looking we find significant increases pulp harvests, accelerated. Over study ecosystems Europe increased nearly 70%, while annual harvests about 40% same period. This was close par with CO2-emissions region (other greenhouse gases not included). Our results suggest important effects allows The development raises question how better can elsewhere around globe time protecting biodiversity preserving landscapes.