NZ, Argentina Collaborate On Beech Forest Study

12 December 2007
New Zealand and Argentina forestry scientists are studying the impacts of climate change on southern hemisphere beech (Nothofagus) forests.
The collaborative research program was announced between New Zealand Crown research institute Scion and Argentina's Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) in Buenos Aires.
Scion principal scientist Dr Tim Payn says climate change could significantly impact on the distribution, productivity, genetic diversity and health of the forests.
Both research groups are developing approaches to establish new Nothofagus forests on unforested sites, which is one potential option to mitigate climate change impacts.
Payn says New Zealand will benefit from the fundamental understanding of beech physiology. “It is an opportunity to study responses in climate zones far outside New Zealand norms for beech growth,” he said.

Huge Carbon Storage By Tassie Forests

The results of a study commissioned by Forestry Tasmania (FT) show that between now and 2050, Tasmania’s state forest will absorb more atmospheric carbon dioxide – a key greenhouse gas (GHG) – than it will release, making Tasmania’s state forests a net sink of carbon.
“The study, conducted by FT and MBAC Consulting Pty Ltd, estimated that the carbon stored in Tasmania’s state forest and in the wood products derived from them will increase by 31 million tonnes between 2007 and 2050 – an average of 720,000 tonnes a year,” FT executive general manger Dr Hans Drielsma said.
“The current carbon balance of state forests is estimated at 326 million tonnes, increasing to 357 million tonnes of stored carbon by 2050.
“To put this figure another way, (using the Australian National University’s formula) the annual increase in carbon stored is equivalent to the carbon emitted each year by 585,365 cars. That’s three times the number of cars than are currently registered in Tasmania.”
Drielsma said Tasmania’s forests were absorbing 24% of the entire state’s carbon emissions (based on emissions for 2005 reported by the Australian Greenhouse Office) each year.
He said the study confirmed that wood-based products from actively managed forests were better for carbon emissions than steel or plastic. “Forestry uses less energy during production – and the best part is forests grow back, a fact that anti-forestry groups don’t like to talk about,” Drielsma added.
Trees sequester carbon more rapidly during their peak growing years, generally early in their life cycle. For example, a native regrowth forest could be expected to have absorbed 60% of its expected total carbon in the first 50 years.

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