How does bioenergy harm biodiversity?

Logging for energy wood is increasing all over the world. Between 2000 and 2013, the use of bioenergy in Europe increased by 87%. 

In Switzerland, energy wood in the form of wood chips and logs now accounts for 40% of the total harvest, representing a doubling in the last 20 years. And the government wants to increase this figure still more. The canton of Bern wants to increase its energy wood production by up to 170%.

Extracting and burning forest wood doesn’t just increase the amount of Carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere, it also reduces wildlife habitats. Logging for biomass is indiscriminate, all trees and vegetation can be cut down irrespective of age, species, health or shape which is why clearcutting is a hallmark of biomass production. 

And while clearcutting is much more cost effective, it is also incredibly destructive.

Clearcutting and radical logging reduce the forest’s resilience and its ability to withstand temperature increases, extreme weather events, wildfires, insect attacks and infections. Increased demand for forest biomass means more logging and shorter rotation periods. The forest is not allowed to grow back fully and large trees are often targeted as is dead wood which means the loss of valuable habitats vital for biodiversity. 

The last thing we should be doing when faced with biodiversity loss and climate change is to cut and burn our forests for energy. Cutting and burning trees from supposedly protected reserves is unconscionable. If trees need to be removed for “safety” reasons then they should be left to benefit animals, insects and fungi. Dead wood is one of Switzerland’s most valuable but rarest habitats.