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Sustainability and beyond - with help from trees

One response to climate change is to increase tree planting to store carbon.Ìý Such afforestation will also help alleviate the nation’s huge dependence on imported timber: but are fast-growing, usually conifer, plantations themselves sustainable?Ìý This question was pioneered at Bangor in the late 1960s with funding from DFID’s predecessor, ODA.Ìý Since then five successive rotations of high-yielding pines in eSwatini (Swaziland) have been monitored and is believed to be world’s longest running experiment into plantation sustainability the compares crop after crop.Ìý

Results from the research has implications for all planted forests, including in Wales.Ìý Specifically, ‘How safe is it to rely on such forest crops?'Ìý

Trees and forests play many other roles to the benefit of society and the environment and are set to become an increasing element in all our futures.Ìý

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