A recent research report has concluded that the trees growing naturally in High Weald woodlands ‘lock up' the equivalent of a fifth of the annual carbon emissions of each High Weald resident. It advises that the best way to ensure this carbon stays locked up for as long as possible is to use timber in buildings with a long lifespan or, where this isn't practical, to utilise wood as a heating fuel instead of fossil fuels.
Woodlands and woodland management have a vital role to play in our response to climate change; growing trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and store it as carbon, both above and below ground. The research report was produced by the High Weald AONB Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) as part of a programme of activities which sets out how important the High Weald landscape is to our social and economic well being.
Preparing a 'carbon account' for the High Weald highlights the contribution that a wooded landscapes can make to carbon management. For the JAC and other policy makers and decision makers the report highlilghts the need to protect the area's woodlands and support the woodland industry with its ambition to use more local timber in building construction.