Why is it better to protect existing forests than to plant new trees?
Global warming is an urgent problem, and swift and effective measures are needed to halt it. With only a limited budget available, it is important to carefully consider which option is best for ensuring a healthy climate with trees.
For example, if you invest €100,000 in protecting existing forests, according to our model, 100,000m² of virgin forest will be protected with immediate effect and thus saved from deforestation. If you want to plant new trees, it is advisable to invest twice as much in order to acquire a comparably large piece of land (depending on current land prices) and reforest it with tree and shrub species that are suitable for the location and promote biodiversity.
Tree plantations and planted forests take around 25 years to become "climate positive," and even then they only achieve a fraction of the biodiversity and biomass of primeval forests. In the first few years after planting, tree plantations actually carry a heavy "CO2 backpack." This is filled with greenhouse gases caused by the nursery and planting. In addition, the soil emits additionalCO2 after planting.
Nevertheless, it is important and beneficial to plant trees today! It helps the climate in 25 years and makes sense wherever trees and forests belong naturally but would not grow back on their own. It is also a good measure for unsealing areas in urban areas so that trees can take on a cooling function (in cities, etc.). However, the most important measure for stabilizing our climate is the protection of existing intact forests.