Sustainability and Firewood: The Untold Love Story
It’s hard to believe that two things which seem so opposite could work in such perfect harmony with one another. But, that’s the truth when it comes to a sustainably managed forest, and lighting the perfect fire.
It sounds like an oxymoron; how could burning wood help to sustain, and even harvest a forest? Don’t you have to cut trees down to create firewood? The answer is yes, and we all know this (we hope!). But the truth is this; when it’s done the right way it can actually help the environment AND even help fight against the climate crisis.
It is well documented by now that a sustainably managed forest has a better carbon footprint then an unmanaged forest. This is because in a managed forest, the wood is taken out before the trees die and is mostly used in construction - meaning the stored carbon is saved for at least the lifetime of the house the wood is used to build.
Aerial image post 2020 Harvest
However, not all lumber can be used as sawlogs for construction. If we leave these trees in the forest, they end up rotting and release all the CO2 back into the atmosphere. Therefore, the worst impact is net zero, so we may as well get more use out of it. That’s where our Maple Trees come in, these trees are not straight enough for the sawmill but make excellent firewood. If you use the firewood to heat your house, you end up replacing the use of fossil fuels by keeping the oil or gas in the ground and you therefore create a carbon impact that is positive!
Pretty lit, right?
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