Forests are an essential part of Earth's operating system. They reduce the buildup of heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and land degradation by 30% each year. This slows global temperature increases and the resulting changes to the climate. In the U.S., forests take up 12% of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions annually and store the carbon long term in trees and soils.

This is not British Columbia specific content, but I’m posting it because destruction of old growth forest is relevant.

  • streetfestival@lemmy.caEnglish
    7·
    5 months ago

    Mature and old-growth forests, with larger trees than younger forests, play an outsized role in accumulating carbon and keeping it out of the atmosphere. These forests are especially resistant to wildfires and other natural disturbances as the climate warms.

  • Drusas@kbin.social
    5·
    5 months ago

    We’ve known this for ages now and our governments (throughout the Pacific Northwest) continue to allow this plundering. A few dollars here and there is better than saving the planet, I guess.

  • TerkErJerbs@lemm.ee
    2·
    5 months ago

    Isn’t it a little cringe when people in our hemisphere blab on about the Amazon rainforest but fully ignore the fact that there is less than 5% of our own primary rainforest left? And not even half of that 5% is protected (i.e. still being logged).

    Fucked up.