Present role of German forests and forestry in the national carbon budget and options to its increase

The carbon stock in forests and wooden products is quantified for the Federal Republic of Germany. In addition the sink effects of the actual forests and the pool of wooden products are determined. The mitigation obtained by substitution of high energy raw materials by wood, substitution of fossil fuels by wood as source of energy were evaluated. Finally the C-ecological effects of the following silvicultural measures were quantified: lengthening of rotation time, underplanting, change of tree species, afforestation of non forest land, increased use of slash and wood from thinning operations as energy source.