"Firewood is a largely CO₂-neutral alternative to fossil fuels, as it only releases the amount of carbon that the tree has absorbed in the course of its growth," explains Dr. Simon Boden, Head of the Forestry Department at the Ludwigsburg District Office. In addition, the use of regional firewood means that there are no long transportation routes and the associated emissions, he continues.
Information and requirements for firewood buyers
Most of the firewood auctions will take place on site. The dates are available on the website of the Forestry Department(www.landkreis-ludwigsburg.de/de/umwelt-technik-klimaschutz/wald/brennholz) and are updated on an ongoing basis. However, there are a few important requirements for participation in the auctions and the subsequent processing of the wood: Interested parties must provide proof of a chainsaw training course and wear the required protective clothing.
The firewood obtained must be well seasoned before use to ensure an environmentally friendly combustion process. Dry wood burns more efficiently and minimizes emissions - it should therefore be stored in a well-ventilated, dry place for at least two to three years.
An integral part of sustainable forest management
Firewood production is part of sustainable forest management in the Ludwigsburg district. Through targeted thinning and the removal of dead or diseased trees, the forests remain stable and climate-friendly. "Our aim is to preserve the forest as a recreational and living space as well as its many other services for the future," emphasizes Dr. Boden. Care is taken to ensure that the natural functions of the forest are strengthened and that mixed forests, which are more resilient to the challenges of climate change, are further promoted.
The amount of firewood available in each case is the result of planned and unplanned incidental wood harvesting, for example due to drought damage. The amount of wood produced is always marketed with a view to the best possible and most durable use. Only wood that cannot be used for other purposes due to quality restrictions is sold as firewood.
The amount of carbon stored in the forests in the district of Ludwigsburg has remained constant despite a high proportion of climate change damage, according to the results of the current Federal Forest Inventory. The proportion of deadwood in the forest has also increased. With the amount of wood used being less than the amount of wood regrown and the harvested wood being used for durable products such as furniture or as a building material, the forests in the district make a significant contribution to climate protection. If you take into account the substitution effects, i.e. the changes that occur when one good is replaced by another - such as the replacement of fossil fuels with firewood - this contribution is even greater.
Working together for a climate-friendly winter
By using regional firewood, households can not only reduce heating costs, but also replace fossil fuels and thus make an active contribution to climate protection. "Every cubic meter of wood that replaces fossil fuels saves CO₂ emissions in the long term and reduces the burden on the atmosphere," says Dr. Boden. "Using firewood in winter is therefore not only a benefit for the individual, but also for the climate."
Infobox: Regional firewood from sustainable forestry is sold at local authority firewood sales. The quantity is specified in solid cubic meters or cubic meters. One solid cubic meter is one cubic meter of pure wood. One cubic meter is the amount of wood required to obtain a volume of 1x1x1 meter when split and stacked. Already split wood cannot be purchased from the local authorities in the district. This ready-to-burn wood is often offered by suppliers in the unit of bulk cubic meters. This is the amount of split wood that can be "poured" into a lattice box with a volume of one cubic meter. One solid cubic meter of firewood yields around 1.4 cubic meters, or two bulk cubic meters. |
