Forest scientists Roland Irslinger (Roland Irslinger), Ernst Detlev Schulze (Ernst Detlev Schulze) and Hubert Röder (Hubert Röder) have published a petition on the www.petitions.net website to oppose the European Union policy's shift away from the fundamental principle of sustainable forestry.
On 14 July 2021, the European Commission unveiled its new “European Green Deal” climate legislative package, which includes the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), the EU Forest Strategy for 2030, and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. These new regulations impact forests and the timber industry.
Abandoning sustainable forest management
Previously, the main principle was sustainable forest management, which aimed for multifunctionality. In contrast, EU forest policy currently focuses primarily on biodiversity and nature conservation, while wood usage and the importance of forests in climate protection have been sidelined.
The signatories' main argument is that active forest management is more effective in the fight against climate change than preserving forests in a state of stasis, as given the already significant forest resources that have reached maturity, they can absorb only slightly more CO2. Wood replaces fossil raw materials in many ways, and wood used as a material stores carbon for a long time. Furthermore, it is forest management itself that has improved biodiversity throughout European history.
Implementing climate-oriented approaches
Ecologically oriented sustainable forestry, which maintains a constant volume of wood and uses wood increment for product manufacturing and energy, is “climate-smart”.
Scientists who are directly or indirectly involved with forests and forestry and who identify with this approach are invited to sign and share this petition.
By Friday, 9 September, it had already been signed by 164 scientists. It is possible to sign via the link: https://www.petitions.net/science_letter_forestry