Does burning wood release all of the carbon a tree has captured in its lifetime? Does a dead decomposing tree do the same?

Question

Anytime carbon capture comes up, the conversation devolves into commenters saying the entire idea is dumb and trees already exist. I’d like to know more about the full life cycle of a tree and if the carbon it captures is permanent.

In: 199

Answer 1

For the most part, it is released. However, a forest does store some carbon longer-term in soils as dead leaves and roots build up and are buried. Most of the carbon is stored in the living forest itself though.