Comments on: UK Forests and Climate Change http://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/blog/2009/11/26/uk-forests-of-the-future/ Advancing ecology and making it count Mon, 20 May 2013 14:42:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: BES_Policy_Team http://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/blog/2009/11/26/uk-forests-of-the-future/#comment-1231 BES_Policy_Team Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:49:13 +0000 http://britishecologicalsociety.org/blog/?p=711#comment-1231 Many thanks for your comment Dr Roper. Whilst it may be the case that the trees will grow once more after felling, it seems that the decline in the forest carbon sink will continue nevertheless without action, due to a slow-down in planting rates. The Synthesis Report, covering the headline findings of the National Forestry Assessment, states on p2 that “from a maximum of 16MtCO2 per year in 2004, the strength of the forest carbon sink {in the UK} is projected to fall to 4.6 MtCO2 per year by 2020, largely because of the age structure of UK forests and the maturation and harvesting of the woodlands created as a result of the afforestation programmes of the 1950s to 1980s. The decline in planting rates since the 1980s also contributes to this serious projected decline in the sink strength of UK forests.”

]]> By: Dr Patrick Roper, MBES http://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/blog/2009/11/26/uk-forests-of-the-future/#comment-1230 Dr Patrick Roper, MBES Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:48:19 +0000 http://britishecologicalsociety.org/blog/?p=711#comment-1230 Para 3 above says that after felling, forests are not replaced. Surely they are not being returned or converted to agriculture.

If they are just abandoned both native and exotic trees will quite quickly regenerate upon them and they will once again become woods. There is no need to go to all the trouble and expense of replanting, especially with exotic species – nature will do the job without assistance.

Suggesting Mediterranean trees be planted in quantity sounds like a bridge too far until we have a better idea of the extent of global warming (or cooling). Besides, many of our British native tree species grow quite happily in the Mediterranean and many Mediterranean species have long grown quite happily in various places here. I think the only people cheering may be those who run tree nurseries and there is already some sign in the horticultural press that this is the case.

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