Does Harvesting Wood Harm The Climate?

Written By Teacher: Elizabeth Ward

My name is Elizabeth Ward. I am a former Early Childhood, Elementary, and English as a Foreign Language educator. I have taught third grade Science and Social Studies as well as Kindergarten in both urban and rural Oklahoma public schools. I taught online EFL to students of all ages in China for four years. I also have experience in curriculum development and content design for teachers in the physical and digital classroom. As a former teacher I have a passion for supporting teachers and making their jobs easier. I currently live in the greater Houston area with my husband and four dogs. 

The impact of harvesting wood on climate change depends on factors like forest management, carbon storage in wood products, and land use changes. While using wood in permanent structures can lock away carbon, cutting trees also reduces the ability of forests to absorb CO₂. Exploring this topic helps students analyze the balance between sustainable forestry, carbon sequestration, and climate mitigation. To learn more about the role trees play in our environment, check out this unit plan about changing habitats or this unit about responsible forest management. 

Written By: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative

The MIT Climate Change Engagement Program, a part of MIT Climate HQ, provides the public with nonpartisan, easy-to-understand, and scientifically-grounded information on climate change and its solutions.

Harvesting wood is a major contributor to climate change. That’s because both soils and trees contain carbon. Disturbing soils and cutting down trees releases some of that carbon, creating carbon dioxide, the most important climate-warming greenhouse gas. 

That’s especially clear for the majority of wood harvests that are used for fuel or industrial applications, like making paper and wood chips. These products generally have short lifetimes before they’re burned or left to decompose, releasing their carbon to the atmosphere. But what about the 20 percent of harvested wood that goes to long-term uses, like building homes and furniture? Using wood for construction does lock up some of its carbon for decades or more, but it still has more climate impact than leaving the trees untouched.