World Environment Day 2011: Preserve forests, use them sustainably!

Climate change, excessive volumes of nitrogen and overuse are currently greatest threats posed to forests

Germany’s forest: a source of wood, clean water, purifier of the air we breathe, and provider of protection against avalanches and floods. All this adds up to a range of services of which we make use almost daily - sometimes even free of charge. Nevertheless, mankind has leaned all too heavily on our forests. Whilst the Middle Ages saw large-scale clearing, the 20th century witnessed air pollution by industry, the transport sector and agriculture. Nowadays, global warming is an additional source of stress for forests. “Whereas we seek to increase the use of wood to save fossil-based resources on the one hand, we expect forests not to lose their function as carbon sinks on the other. Nitrogen pollution will also lead to destabilisation of forests in the long term and increase their vulnerability in the face of climate change. Pollution levels would have to be lowered by up to 20 percent on 70 percent of forest areas if forests are to preserve their diverse functions in the future as well. Emissions from agriculture in particular must be reduced considerably”, said Jochen Flasbarth, President of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), on World Environment Day held on Sunday, 5 June 2011. The efficiency of ambitious clean air policy is evident in the successful reduction of sulphur emissions achieved since the early 1980s.

Global warming has had a range of effects on Germany’s forests. On a positive note, longer vegetation periods have led to increased forest growth. On the downside, however, is water scarcity, the presence of more pests, and greater risk of forest fires. Heat waves and periods of drought, heavy rains, and storms will likely occur more frequently. Forests that are already stressed by pollution will react more sensitively to these new stress factors. The spruce is the best example of how sensitive forests are to global warming. Because of its rapid growth spruce is a popular crop in Germany. Spruce favours cool damp locations, is not very resistant to heat and is vulnerable to bark beetles and strong winds. On these grounds alone it is no longer viable to grow spruce in some regions. Much less sensitive is mixed woodland that is host to a wide variety of different species and composed of naturally occurring types of trees.

Forests also offset global warming in that they influence the volume of climate gases present in the atmosphere. They absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air but also release it if burned or through decomposition. In order for forests to store more carbon dioxide than they release to the atmosphere overall, action must be taken. “Deforestation must be scaled back considerably worldwide. We must also manage our forests sustainably - and extend preservation activities in some areas to become more comprehensive“, says UBA President Flasbarth. Only through near-natural and environmentally friendly silviculture can we sustain the long-term productivity of our forests, their diversity of species, and the functions they perform.

Wood as a raw material? Sure, but from sustainable sources only please!

Using wood as fuel helps to protect the climate as it only releases as much carbon dioxide as the tree absorbed during its growth period. This saves non-renewable energies such as petroleum, natural gas, coal and uranium. Wood as a building material can be used to substitute non-renewable or less environmentally friendly products such as cement or PVC. Moreover, the CO₂ captured in wood is stored throughout the duration of its use. In order to meet the steady rise in global demand for wood as a resource and for energy in an environmentally compatible way, wood must be managed sustainably and used efficiently. Wherever feasible the use of wood as a source of energy must aim to emit as low levels of particulate emissions as possible. See the UBA flyer on heating with wood (Heizen mit Holz) for valuable advice.

Recognising good wood products: the Blue Angel eco-label

A basic requirement for a healthy and environmentally friendly product is that it was produced sustainably and emitted a low level of emissions during its processing and use. Consumers can recognise such unobjectionable products by the Blue Angel label.

2 June 2011

World Environment Day 2011: Preserve forests, use them sustainably! | Umweltbundesamt