Study Reveals Sweden’s Old-Growth Forests Store Far More Carbon Than Managed Stands

Study Reveals Sweden’s Old-Growth Forests Store Far More Carbon Than Managed Stands
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A new study led by researchers at Lund University and Stanford University has found that Sweden’s old-growth boreal forests store significantly more carbon than previously estimated, highlighting their critical role in climate mitigation.

According to SciTechDaily, the study measured carbon across trees, dead wood, soil, and harvested timber at over 200 forest sites and compared undisturbed primary forests to managed plantations. Results show that primary forests store 72% more carbon per acre than industrially managed forests, rising to 83% more when harvested wood products are excluded. Soil accounted for the largest portion, with the top meter holding 64% of total carbon in primary forests.

Industrial logging was found to have persistent effects on soil carbon, which old-growth forests recover from only slowly. Researchers warn that Sweden’s managed forests could take centuries to regain lost carbon, and clearing primary forests continues at rates six times higher than tropical Amazon deforestation.

The team emphasized that protecting remaining old-growth forests and restoring degraded sites could both sequester carbon and enhance biodiversity. They are now investigating the role of soil microbes in carbon storage, aiming to accelerate carbon recovery in managed forests.