Healthy Forests Act as Carbon Sinks

Healthy forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide and helping mitigate climate change. However, their effectiveness is impacted by factors like deforestation, degradation, wildfires, and pests. Sustainable forest management is essential to optimally managing ecosystem carbon, and maintaining forest health and resilience for ongoing climate change mitigation.

• “A forest is considered to be a carbon sink if it absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases. Carbon is absorbed from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. It then becomes deposited in forest biomass such as trunks, branches, roots and leaves, in dead organic matter as litter and dead wood, and in soils.” 

  Reference: Forests: A Stabilizing Force for the Climate Webpage, Canadian Council of Forest Ministers Website

   

• “Healthy forests play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by acting as carbon sinks, absorbing billions of metric tonnes of CO2 annually.”

  Reference: Forests can help us limit climate change – here is how | UNDP Climate Promise

   

• “Most healthy forests have a positive carbon balance - they absorb more GHGs from the atmosphere than they emit. However, when a severe natural disturbance occurs (e.g. insects, wildfire, etc.) that causes trees to die, these stands shift from being a carbon sink to a carbon source. Many forested areas across B.C. have been impacted by these types of natural disturbances as well as disturbances related to human activity (e.g. oil and gas activities, road construction, etc). Reforestation projects involve planting trees in areas affected by natural disturbances. Compared with natural forest regeneration, planting accelerates the rate at which these areas return to being a carbon sink.”

  Reference: Forest Carbon Initiative - Province of British Columbia