How it works:

• Trees absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.
• Some of this carbon is stored as timber and some is lost during leaf shed, decay and respiration.
• Carbon also enters the soil as root biomass and leaf mulch, some of which is captured there.
• Forests capture and store carbon whilst establishing, once mature the amount of carbon taken in and released equalises.
• At maturity it is important that the stored carbon in the timber is used and the forest replanted to start another cycle.
• The amount of carbon dioxide retained by forestry grown in a mild temperate climate on relatively fertile sites such as ex pastureland is quantified at 9.5 tonnes of CO₂ per acre per year over the 60 year life cycle (source US EPA)
• Planting trees on land that was used for growing forage for cattle or sheep also eliminates the methane produced by the digestion of the forage. Typically one dairy cow emits 90Kg of methane per year and would be stocked on one acre. Methane is 21 times more effective as a Greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide so this saving is worth a further 1.9tonnes of CO₂ per year.
• Over a sixty year cycle an acre of forestry planted on pastureland would reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the equivalent of 650 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
• Our planting density is 1000 trees per acre giving a net GHG reduction per tree planted of 650Kg. Tree populations are thinned as establishment progresses but the figure of 650KG per tree planted is important.

Just planting a tree isn′t enough

There′s a lot more to it than just sticking a seedling in your back yard. Our site, and our partner PATT is aimed at combating climate change and providing economic, social and environmental sustainability through community based forestry projects in developing countries. Working in conjunction with corporate partners, government and intergovernmental agencies, non governmental organizations (NGOs), local authorities, and local communities, the aim is to plant 1 million trees per year in locations worldwide.

The PATT Foundation aims to assist countries, organizations, communities and educational institutions in their efforts to achieve ecologically sustainable development which can involve:

• Raising public awareness of climate change and environmental issues facing the world today
• Integrating economic, environmental, and social goals in policies and activities
• Ensuring that environmental assets are properly valued and managed
  
• Providing intergenerational equity
• Providing communities with forests with which to derive forest products and a sustainable income
• Providing investigational, interactive learning experiences for schools
• Sourcing funding for current projects focused on reforestation

A ′Matter of priority′

Recognising the growing concerns about whether the amount of CO₂ actually being sequestered matched the claims being made by operators, the UK government recently said it was going to introduce a code of practice by the end of the year.

Announcing the details of the code, Climate Change Minister Joan Ruddock said: "People need to be sure that when they buy an offsetting product the emissions reductions are actually taking place.

"An overwhelming majority of respondents to the consultation are in favour of a voluntary code for offsetting products to deal with the risk that without recognised standards consumer confidence could be damaged and the potential impact of offsetting reduced."

The minister added that schemes meeting the code′s requirements would be allowed to display a quality mark.

Commercial airlines have recently been targeted by environmental groups because the number of flights, and CO₂ emissions, are set to increase sharply over the next decade.

The UK Governments report said the aviation industry had a "diverse and generally unsatisfactory attitude towards offsetting".

It went on to say that the reason why airlines, as a group, did not have a consistent view about offsetting and did not take part in the government′s consultation was because it would draw attention to the "malign effects of air travel on the environment".

"The industry must engage with the government and accept that it needs to do more now to mitigate emissions from its planes and to encourage uptake of offsets amongst its customers as a matter of priority," the report urged.