More help needed for small-forest owners

30/12/2009

Owners of small forests in the US are calling for more support and investment to keep their environmentally valuable forests alive.

Although forest initiatives, such as those outlined at the Copenhagen summit, will see developing countries being able to put a value on their forests – effectively being paid to keep forests standing rather than chopping them down – these don't help small-forest managers.

This is concerning as small forests make up a third of all the forested land in the US and they play an increasingly important role in controlling climate change.

Additional support and investment could help smaller forest managers to improve the sustainability of their forests. Sustainable forests are those that are grown and used for wood in a way that ensures the forest does not die out. If treated this way forests will remain standing - providing valuable habitats and absorbing carbon dioxide - but the wood can be used to build homes, to make bio fuels or to burn for fuel.

In addition, the burning of wood for fuel or the use of bio fuels can help to reduce the CO2 emissions from the use of fossil fuels for energy.