"Firewood is an almost CO₂-neutral alternative to fossil fuels, as it only releases the amount of carbon that the tree has absorbed during its growth," explains Dr. Simon Boden, Head of the Forestry Department at Ludwigsburg District Office. "Sourcing firewood locally also avoids long transportation routes and reduces the emissions associated with its transportation."
Sustainable forest management in the district of Ludwigsburg
The supply of firewood is a key consequence of sustainable forest management in the district. Through targeted thinning and the removal of diseased or dead trees, the growth of individual trees is strengthened, thereby stabilizing the forests and making them climate-friendly.
"Our aim is to preserve the forest both as a recreational area and as a habitat for flora and fauna in the long term," emphasizes Dr. Boden. "Through ecological and sustainable forest management, we are strengthening the resilience of forests to the challenges of climate change."
The amount of firewood available in the district therefore depends on the requirements of forest management and forest damage caused by extreme climatic events such as droughts. Only those parts of the trunk that are not suitable for a higher-value use due to qualitative losses are marketed as firewood.
Firewood as part of the solution for the energy transition
The use of firewood from local forests is an active contribution to combating climate change. One cubic meter of firewood stores around 220 kilograms of CO₂, which is equivalent to the heating requirements of a single-family home for 40 days. "As a local, renewable resource that can replace fossil fuels, firewood can help pave the way to a green future," explains Dr. Boden. "Every cubic meter of wood that replaces fossil energy saves CO₂ emissions in the long term and reduces the burden on the atmosphere."
Firewood auctions in the district of Ludwigsburg
The dates of the firewood auctions in the district's municipalities and the exact details of the auctions are available on the website of the Forestry Department at www.landkreis-ludwigsburg.de/brennholz. To participate in the auctions, interested parties must present proof of a chainsaw training course and the required protective clothing.
Firewood info box
- One cubic meter of firewood corresponds to around 220 kilograms of CO₂ reduction.
- One cubic meter of firewood corresponds to the amount of wood required to fill a volume of 1x1x1 meter piled up.
- One solid cubic meter of wood corresponds to approximately 1.4 cubic meters, or 2 bulk cubic meters.
- At the auctions, wood is offered in solid cubic meters or cubic meters. Wood that has already been split is usually sold by local suppliers as bulk cubic meters.
- For an environmentally friendly combustion process, firewood must be well seasoned before use to minimize emissions and ensure efficient combustion
- As part of the nationwide #OurWood campaign, the value of local firewood as a raw material is emphasized and the importance of sustainable energy sources is highlighted. More information on the campaign at
https://mlr.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/unsere-themen/wald-und-naturerlebnis/unserholz
