Old-Growth Forests Store 83% More Carbon Than Managed Ones
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📰 The quick summary: A peer-reviewed analysis of Swedish forests found that undisturbed old-growth forests store up to 83% more carbon per acre than industrially managed ones, strengthening the scientific case for protecting primary forests as a climate tool.
📈 One key stat: Undisturbed primary forests store 83% more carbon per acre than managed forests when harvested wood products are excluded, a figure 2.7 to 8 times larger than current official estimates.
💬 One key quote: “The carbon storage capacity that an old-growth forest loses once it’s been heavily furrow-cut and logged can’t easily be recovered. The loss of soil carbon through industrial management is persistent and shocking,” said Rob Jackson, senior study author and professor of Earth system science at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.
1️⃣ The big picture: A new peer-reviewed study published in Science reveals that undisturbed old-growth forests in Sweden store dramatically more carbon than the industrially managed forests replacing them. Researchers from Lund University and Stanford University measured CO2 across more than 200 forest plots over three years, combining field data with decades of national forest and soil inventory records. Results show primary forests store 83% more carbon per acre than managed forests, once harvested wood products are excluded. Surprisingly, much of this difference comes from soil carbon rather than from the trees themselves. Restoring Sweden’s managed forests to the carbon storage level of primary forests alone would require keeping nearly 8 billion tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: This study gives scientists and policymakers clearer, more accurate data on just how much carbon old-growth forests hold, which can directly strengthen the case for protecting them. Recognizing that the true carbon storage gap is 2.7 to 8 times larger than official estimates means climate strategies can now be recalibrated to reflect reality rather than underestimates. Protecting existing primary forests emerges as one of the most cost-effective and immediate climate actions available, requiring no new technology. Beyond Sweden, these findings raise awareness about the irreplaceable role of ancient forests globally, particularly slowly regenerating boreal forests that cover vast areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Getting forest protection policy right based on accurate data makes every climate target more achievable.
3️⃣ What’s next: Researchers plan to investigate exactly what drives the high carbon storage capacity in old-growth Swedish forests. Their goal is to identify specific elements that could be replicated or preserved in boreal forests around the world. These findings also call for a reassessment of climate models that currently rely on forest-derived biofuels as a near-term mitigation strategy.
Read the full story here: Carbon Herald – New Analysis Shows Undisturbed Old Forests Store Dramatically More CO2 Than Managed Ones
