Work out tree co2 absorption instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
A mature broadleaf tree fixes roughly 21 kg of CO2 a year, though young saplings manage only a fraction of that until the canopy develops. A hundred broadleaves over twenty years absorb about 42 tonnes, offsetting some 18,200 litres of petrol. The carbon is only stored while the wood remains - burning or decay releases it again.
Total absorption
CO2 = trees x annual rate x years
Typical rates
broadleaf 21 kg/yr, conifer 16, fast-growing 28, sapling 5
Only while the wood persists. Harvesting into long-lived timber products extends storage; burning or rotting returns the carbon.
Because absorption scales with leaf area and growth increment. Uptake peaks in mid-life and falls again in old age.