Trees absorb carbon long after growth stops: New study on oak forests and climate storage

A new study in Science Advances finds that oak forests in North America keep pulling carbon from the atmosphere even after they stop producing new wood. This decoupling of carbon uptake from tree growth means current models may underestimate how much carbon mature forests can store. The research used satellite data, carbon flux measurements, and growth sensors to reach these findings. For carbon markets and climate policy, this matters because it suggests old forests have more value as carbon sinks than previously assumed. If trees continue absorbing CO2 without adding visible biomass, then protecting mature forests becomes even more important for offset accounting and national emissions targets. The study challenges the assumption that forest carbon storage slows down sharply after trees reach full size. The practical takeaway is that conservation of existing forests may deliver more climate benefit than planting new ones, at least in the near term. Policymakers and project developers should factor this into how they value forest carbon credits and design nature-based solutions.