It might seem strange that felling trees for timber could help mitigate the effects of the Climate Emergency. Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and produce oxygen. Surely we need more of them? Yes, is the short answer. We absolutely do need more trees. It’s crucial to understand what a felled tree contributes to a sustainable planet. 

Locking up CO2

Trees absorb CO2 and release oxygen throughout their lives. This happens no matter the species or how fast they grow.

When a mature tree is felled, usually between 40 and 50 years for conifers, and much longer for broadleaves, the carbon it absorbed stays locked in the timber.

Felling doesn’t release that carbon. That’s why harvesting trees for timber is an important part of creating a greener world.

What happens to the timber?

Once felled, the trees are cut in the forest into usable lengths specific to the sawmill that is buying them. Most of the felled trees can be used to create something new:

• high quality wood is used for construction grade timber
• lower quality wood can be used for pallets or fence posts
• branches and smaller pieces can be turned into boards like oriented strand board (OSB)

Timber and house building

Building a house means the wood is in long term storage and keeping that carbon locked up for potentially hundreds of years. It also means that same house isn’t using steel or concrete (at least for parts of it). These materials are not renewable and are more energy intensive to make. Using timber means less harmful materials are used, creating a secondary benefit. 

Timber isn’t just useful for construction. Research worldwide is showing a range of new uses for trees that can replace harmful materials in products we have come to rely on. Things like paints and medicines, even materials in mobile phone screens. These uses might still be in the development phase, but the more uses we can find for wood, the more sustainable our world can be.

But what happens to the forest?

Once an area has been felled, that isn’t the end. As trees grow so slowly, it can be difficult to see progress taking place, but after felling, the same ground will be re-established with new trees. Mostly, a felled area needs some time to rest before re-planting, much like a farmer may rest fields for a season to let the soil regenerate. Establishing new forests and woods is often done by planting trees by hand, but it can also be accomplished by natural regeneration. Regardless of method, growing new trees on the same ground allows a new generation of trees to begin absorbing carbon.

This cycle means there are always trees growing and absorbing CO2. And it means we can provide a sustainable material for use throughout our society.

The felling of a forest can appear dramatic at first. Before forestry operations we carry out surveys, and work with partner organisations to ensure any impact on wildlife is kept to a minimum. We work with partner organisations like NatureScot to prevent damage as far as possible. 

Ultimately it is to help us move to a greener future, producing sustainable timber to the highest environmental standards, helping the rural economy and reducing carbon miles while providing habitat for a range of species.

Currently, almost 80% of timber in the UK is imported from abroad. This percentage is second in the world only to China. The UK also has one of the lowest proportions of tree coverage in Europe. These two statistics make it clear that:

• in the UK we use a lot of timber
• we don't currently produce nearly enough timber for our needs
• we have far less woodland cover than other nearby countries

So what does this actually mean?

Simply, the UK needs to grow more trees. We need more productive forests to supply sustainable materials for the future, and we need more native and mixed forests for nature.

Planting more trees now, can help us to secure a greener future.