According to the most recent statistics from Bioenergy Europe, considerably more forest area has been added. The forests are also growing fast, the 'forest density' is increasing.
The Netherlands, together with Luxembourg, is a small player among the forest giants in the forest landscape.
An additional forest the size of the municipality of Amsterdam
European forests have grown in the last thirty years. In the last ten years, no less than 262.000 hectares have been added every year, which is more than more than the municipality of Amsterdam every year. In ten years, more forest has been created than would fit in half of the Netherlands.
Wood is harvested from many forests for construction, paper and bioenergy, but in every country the forests grow faster than they are harvested. The use of residues from forest management in bio boilers for heat adds economic value to forests. It becomes more interesting for a forest manager to manage forests and plant more forests if he can also sell the remains.
Bioenergy is the most important form of renewable energy in Europe and is the largest internal source of energy.
More storage of CO2 in the forest
More CO2 was stored year after year because the 'forest density' also increased. The so-called 'carbon stock' increased from 133 m3/ha to 173m3/ha in thirty years.
A sustainable harvest of biomass is a priority in European countries and that is paying off.
The entire Policy Brief (in English) is here to read. The report can be requested from Bioenergy Europe.
Source: NBKL
