Why is logging old-growth forests a problem if new trees grow back?
When you log an old-growth forest, huge amounts of carbon pollution are released. While young regrowth sucks in carbon, it takes 150 years for a forest to recapture all the carbon lost after logging. We must reduce carbon pollution as soon as possible to avoid dangerous climate change. Q7: Why does the forest industry say logging is not causing climate change? A: The logging industry has been misleading the public by saying: – that young re-growth forests can suck up more carbon than old growth forests, – that wood products store carbon so it doesn’t lead to carbon pollution. The logging industry conveniently ignores the massive carbon pollution that occurs when the original forest is logged; and most of the wood also ends up as carbon pollution because the woodchips become paper and then waste within three years. Q8: Isn’t it too late to stop climate change? A: Scientists agree that some warming has already occurred. However they also believe that if we can limit this increase to 2deg
