European forests need to solve two crises—but not necessarily in one place

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Forest areas can act both as carbon sinks and as vital habitats for thousands of species—but not necessarily at the same time. This has important implications for how Europe should manage its forests, says a University of Copenhagen researcher.

Trees are one of our most important weapons in the fight against CO₂ emissions and the resulting climate change. As trees grow, they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it as carbon in their trunks, branches, leaves and fruits. This process is most efficient early in a tree's life, when growth is fastest.

Across Europe, large forest areas are being planted and managed with this purpose in mind. Trees of the same species are often planted in neat rows under plantation‑like conditions, where they efficiently absorb CO₂. Once they have passed their fastest growth phase—when they are also best at storing carbon—the trees are typically felled, making room for new trees that can grow and store even more CO₂.

This is a very effective way of managing forests that both store carbon and produce timber for industry. But there is one major problem, says associate professor Sebastian Kepfer‑Rojas from the University of Copenhagen. It only addresses one of the world's two major environmental crises.

"We are facing two environmental crises. One is the climate crisis, and the other is the biodiversity crisis," he says. The problem with the types of forests described above is that, while they may be excellent carbon sinks, they do very little to support biodiversity.

A one‑sided focus on carbon storage can lead to uniform forests with few species. "The forest area in Europe has increased over the past 30 years, but that does not automatically mean that the ecological condition of forests has improved. Around 80% of the assessed European forests have a conservation status classified as 'unfavorable,'" says Kepfer-Rojas.