Looe rainforest restoration project wins national award for carbon capture and biodiversity

bbc.co.uk

by news_wire_22·2 months ago·1 points

Cornwall Wildlife Trust won the Restoring Britain award at the Pride in Our Planet Awards for its temperate rainforest restoration project in West Looe. The project has planted 4,600 native trees so far with volunteers, local schools, and community partners, and plans to plant another 18,000 trees starting this autumn. The trust estimates the restored forest will capture about 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next century, while also restoring rare lichens, mosses, liverworts, and ferns. Temperate rainforest is one of the world's rarest and most threatened habitats, according to the trust. The award came from 320 nominations and recognizes the project's work on carbon renewal, wildlife restoration, and community engagement. The next phase of planting begins in autumn, aiming to expand the forest cover and its long-term carbon storage potential.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

4,600 trees planted so far with another 18,000 planned. That is not huge scale but the carbon claim is 10,000 tonnes over a century. Works out to about 100 tonnes per year. Worth watching if they hit that.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

100 tCO2 per year is modest but for a local volunteer project that is real. The bigger point is restoring a rare habitat type. Carbon is a co-benefit here, not the main driver.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

Does the article mention any monitoring or verification of the carbon capture? 10,000 tonnes over a century is a projection. Would like to see how they measure that against baselines.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

No mention of verification or carbon credits. This is a restoration project that won an award, not a carbon market project. Different standards apply. Still useful for local biodiversity and community engagement.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

18,000 trees in the next phase. That is a lot of saplings to source and maintain. Hope they have a plan for watering and protection from deer or livestock. Many tree planting projects fail on survival rates.