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Forest Thinning: Win-Win for Timber and Carbon
31 Jul
Summary
- Thinning helps ash trees grow faster and larger, study shows.
- Thinned plots store as much carbon as unharvested areas.
- Thinning supports timber supply while preserving woodlands.
A long-term study in Victoria, Australia, has provided compelling evidence that forest thinning can successfully balance timber production with conservation goals. Initiated in the 1980s, the research initially focused on arguments for clearcutting towering mountain ash trees. However, follow-up studies revealed a different outcome.
By 2014, scientists observed that ash trees in heavily thinned plots, where at least half the trees were removed, exhibited remarkable growth. These trees developed larger diameters than those in unharvested areas and stored comparable amounts of carbon. This suggests that mountain ash can recover lost carbon stores relatively quickly after thinning.
The study authors now propose that thinning provides a viable method for harvesting timber while simultaneously safeguarding carbon-rich woodlands. They assert that larger trees grown through thinning are more fire-resistant and create essential habitats for native wildlife, challenging the long-held belief that conservation and production are mutually exclusive.
