The Norwegian forest is considered a super carbon store. It binds carbon in an amount that corresponds to 40 percent of our emissions. However, things happen that can upset the green picture: Not only does the carbon uptake fall. The new figures from researchers at NIBIO now clearly show the main reasons: Much forest in Buskerud was destroyed by snow in the winter of 2021. Photo: Tordis Gauteplass / news Cases of “natural forest damage” have doubled in the last ten years. More storms, more snow and drought take the lives of trees. – These disturbances and damage to the forest, together with slightly increased logging, appear to be the main reasons for the recent drop in carbon uptake, says climate researcher Glen Peters. He is an expert on the carbon cycle at CICERO. He has also contributed to the UN’s sixth climate report. – The size of the fall is unexpected and surprisingly large, says Peters. Trees are felled because we will use the timber and plant new forest, or because we will use the area for other things, such as roads and football pitches. Photo: André Fagernæs-Håker / news – Can become a source of emissions The drop in carbon in the forests worries the researcher. – If this is correct, and this trend continues, the Norwegian carbon storage could become a source of emissions. – This would be enormous and would have to completely change the way we think about the Norwegian carbon stock. He does not rule out that this is just a one-off incident. And that the carbon stock will increase again in the coming years. – But it is a significant risk game, he believes. Because if these forest damages increase at the same time due to climate change, Peters points out, then the view of how forests provide us with climate benefits will change. – We are already seeing such a change in several parts of Europe, including Sweden, Finland and now also Norway, he points out. For the EU, the role of forests is more important than ever before, in order to be able to achieve the climate goals. But a recent study shows that carbon absorption is falling rapidly in large parts of Europe. The reason is increased felling, too little new forest and forest death. Enormous amounts of trees were blown over in Innlandet in autumn 2021. Photo: Sør-Aurdal municipality – Looks very guilty Ryan Bright, the NIBIO researcher who found the figures showing the carbon drop, agrees with Glen Peter’s analysis. – Yes, on the condition that the disturbances include both logging and natural causes of death. – These factors look very guilty for now. In this table, Bright’s figures show how the forest absorbs CO₂ (red columns) and at the same time emits CO₂ (purple columns). In recent years, emissions have increased: Bright says he is not too surprised by the development. – Considering the extreme drought we experienced in south-east Norway in the summer of 2018, these new figures did not come as a surprise. It can take a few years before the spruce trees die after this type of drought, says Bright. A dead fir tree after drought and bark beetle attacks in Vestfold in 2018. Photo: Roald Marker / news He points out that the fir’s immune system was weakened. And the trees more susceptible to bark beetle attacks. The bark beetles attack when the spruce is weakened, as a result of such damage. Photo: Karsten Sund / Museum of Natural History Bright believes the trend of increased forest damage may continue. – There are many older spruce in areas that are vulnerable to an increase in such damage. We have to think about spreading the risk and have more deciduous forests and more mixed forests, he says. – Have you seen anything like this before? – When I started researching this, I noticed that we do not have good enough historical data behind these damages and the mortality of the trees. So it’s hard to say. The EU aims to improve forests’ contribution to achieving the climate goals. Smarter forestry is then required, according to the EU. Expert on forest health: – Must monitor Photo: André Fagernæs-Håker / news Line Nybakken is now researching forest health against climate change. She is careful not to foretell disaster. Nevertheless: – It is important to monitor, try to understand the patterns and change the forest where necessary, while we can. In recent years, harvesting has increased. Thus, much of the previously planted forest is replaced with new forest. – This will eventually provide net carbon sequestration again. Hopefully we are now better at thinking about the right kind of wood in the right place, says Nybakken. – If we don’t quite know what is right for a given place, spruce or pine for example, then it can be good to mix wood species, so as not to bet everything on one species and one map.
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Norwegian forests absorb less carbon than before – news – Klima
