Logging from forests and environmental protection - a case study of German forests.

This article critically examines the German government's 2020 policy to suspend timber harvesting in 170,000 hectares of old public beech forests (Fagus sylvatica) and its implications for carbon balance and climate mitigation. It highlights risks that unmanaged old beech stands may become net carbon sources due to drought-induced mortality, pest outbreaks, and deadwood decomposition, potentially releasing significant CO₂ over coming decades. In contrast, Poland's integrative forest management model, involving active harvesting with regulated rotation ages (100–120 years) and sustainable thinning, maintains younger, more productive stands that sequester carbon effectively while supplying wood products that substitute high-emission materials. The study suggests that Climate Smart Forestry (CSF), combining sustainable management with wood utilization and biodiversity conservation, offers a more reliable approach to long-term carbon storage and climate goals than passive protection. It concludes that halting timber harvesting in aging German beech forests may inadvertently increase CO₂ emissions and global carbon footprints through leakage, whereas active management supports both ecological and climate objectives.