The State Association for Bird and Nature Conservation (LBV) criticizes the fact that more wood from state forests in Bavaria should be used for heating. According to a statement by the association on Thursday, unused forests are indispensable for the protection of species and the protection of the climate. Under the impression of the energy crisis and rising energy costs, there are increasing attempts to promote heating with wood as a sustainable and climate-friendly alternative to oil and gas, the LBV also criticizes an initiative by the Bavarian cabinet. Unused natural forests are “an indispensable building block in forest conservation”. The LBV therefore rejects the fact that more trees are felled in the forests for firewood production. If possible, only waste and residual wood should be used to generate energy. The argument that the burning of wood is climate-neutral falls short in the opinion of LBV forest officer Christian Stierstorfer. When burning wood, just like when burning other fossil fuels, CO₂ is initially released. “It will take many decades for the CO₂ to be bound again in the regrowing tree population,” said Stierstorfer. Wood is therefore not a solution for the coming decades, which will be decisive in climate change. In Germany there is a large market for residual wood, from which the majority of domestic pellet production has been obtained so far, the LBV reports. However, the growing demand for pellets, logs and woodchips is driving the pressure to use forests outside of Germany as well. The nature conservation association fears that overexploitation and clear-cutting could also occur in protected areas in Europe.
Nature conservation association warns against heating the forests – Bavaria
