Browsing in a charity shop recently, I came across an old copy of the National Geographic magazine, with photographs of old growth trees worldwide. The title of the feature was 'The Wisdom of Trees. They inspire us, comfort us, and remind us how life moves on.' And move on it has.
 
There are now more 'pay to enter' tree parks. In the last few years, I have visited a tree park covering 800 acres in California with a group of protected old growth Redwood trees which has since been partly effected by drought and wild fires. Another Kew Gardens, in London, UK, set in 500 acres, famous for its mixed variety of tree species; with shops and cafes and special events such as its magical winter trail lights and hot chocolate. These tree parks are well run, but unfortunately this is not always the case. Some are not at all natural and can feel more like a tree zoo or museum.
 
There is now growing government, charitable and private company support for planting new trees to achieve climate carbon targets or to 'offset carbon emissions.' Again these forests are not always well managed, with trees sometimes left to die due to lack of aftercare. Support has also been given to the logging of trees to make wood pellets to burn in biomass power plants; considered to provide 'carbon neutral energy.'
 
However, despite the tree planting projects worldwide, large areas of wild natural forests with old trees continue to be destroyed or degraded, and some rainforest areas are becoming carbon emitters rather than absorbing CO2.
 
In this context, the film 'More of Everything' makes an interesting watch, produced and published by Protect the Forest, Sweden & Greenpeace Nordic. The film features several prominent independent scientists and experts examining the claims the forest industry is spreading about the Swedish forestry model and the bio-economy.
 
The film states:
 
'In times of climate change, the forest industry claims to hold the magic wand: Wood. Wood is to be used for everything from energy, disposable articles in cardboard and paper, packaging and makeup, to fuel, for an ever-expanding transport sector. To push this narrative, the forest industry spends millions on advertising, public relations and lobbying in order to present their products and raw materials as the solution for a sustainable future. Representatives of the forest industry and members of the Swedish parliament praise the Swedish forestry model, which they claim has taken Sweden from "a more or less deforested nation" hundred years ago to a rich forested nation today.'
 
'The forest industry portrays Sweden as a country with vast and increasing forests. The industry goes as far as to claim that: "The forest industry is making biodiversity possible" and that Swedish forestry is balancing the needs of the economy and the environment, and that 2 to 3 trees are being planted for each tree that is felled. Slogans like; for more than 100 years Sweden has been planting more trees than it cuts down ..'
 
But if 'the forest industries claims are not true, continuing to use and spread the model could jeopardise the climate and the ecosystems on which we all depend.'
 
'More of everything? .... Can we really say that a planted monoculture of pine or spruce in straight lines is a forest? Or is a forest something more than just trees?'
 
Meanwhile, as I now ponder (in the midst of a cost of living crisis) which toilet roll is the best eco choice, especially considering all the greenwash out there .... another link worth checking out is a US non-profit, Mongabay, news feature on Bioenergy and the surging wood pellet industry.
 
And finally to quote Michael Morel, a guest writer from a previous SalvoNews story.
 
Michael grew up in San Francisco, California, USA, where they have a daily 'Spare the Air' notification system that tells everyone whether or not they can burn wood in their fireplace. In the UK there are also designated 'smoke control' areas.
 
He states: 'You would think burning wood on a larger, countrywide scale would be similarly prohibited. But under major international climate treaty standards, burning "biomass" for fuel is counted as a carbon neutral activity even though it emits as much carbon as fuels like coal. This is because trees are a renewable resource...
 
A recent New Scientist article says the method of carbon emission measurement is flawed and is abused to "greenwash" statistics. The piece, EU nations set to wipe our forests and not account emissions, says countries may be intentionally lobbying for weaker rules to further obfuscate the measurement of trees cover in order to reduce their carbon footprint on paper.
 
It is a bit like recording a tight personal budget while secretly splurging on the credit card. It might not hurt for a while but reality will eventually come knocking. So will the atmosphere.
 
The impulse to cut corners is a natural human impulse that grips the best of us, and its seriousness can vary from a white lie to a national scandal. Does this case qualify as a nefarious conspiracy? I am skeptical.
 
What matters more than accounting tricks is the overarching framework countries are operating under. The countries that signed up to the Paris climate deal were signalling a genuine intention to cut emissions. It would be a surprise if countries like France, Austria and Finland would completely undermine the process by gradually and deceitfully introducing mass deforestation. You may cheat on your diet with late night ice cream, but it does not mean your intentions are bad. For the other 23 hours that day you were truly focused on self-improvement.
 
Let us give these offenders the benefit of the doubt, though we should be mindful of our tendency to cook the books, be it on a national scale or a personal one. Like a diet, it helps to reduce opportunities to cheat. If the mechanisms for measuring forest cover are inadequate, then they should be improved, not weakened.
 
Focusing on other ways to preserve greenery is part of the solution as well. Advances in solar and wind technology are increasingly playing their part. The use of reclaimed wood in furniture and new construction can also alleviate pressure on forests. But transparency and accountability in the trade of reclaimed lumber is as important as it is for burning biomass. Without rigorous verification, the environmental benefits will burn up.'
 
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