Can burying wood help reduce carbon emissions? This old logbook suggests so.
In 2013, a team led by Ning Zeng, a climate scientist from the University of Maryland, made a remarkable discovery during an experiment in Quebec, Canada. The researchers were digging a trench to test whether burying wood under clay soil could prevent its decomposition and keep carbon out of the atmosphere. During this process, they unexpectedly discovered a 3,775-year-old Eastern Red Cedar trunk buried just two meters underground. This ancient log, which still contains 95 percent of its carbon, demonstrated the potential effectiveness of clay as a carbon-retaining medium.
A natural solution for carbon storage
Scientists and environmental experts have been exploring new ways to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for years. Ning Zeng’s team initially wanted to test whether burying wood could be a cheap, natural approach to long-term carbon storage. While investigating the ability of clay soil to inhibit decomposition, their discovery suggested that a promising solution already existed in nature. Covering wood with layers of clay prevents oxygen and microbes from reaching it, preserving its carbon content.
According to According to Daniel Sanchez, an environmental scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, this affordable approach has great potential. He notes that as global emissions continue, low-cost solutions like these are critical. Burying wood could reduce emissions by an estimated $30 to $100 per ton of CO2, significantly less than other carbon capture methods.
Affordable and practical potential
The researchers estimate that replicating these conditions could allow up to 10 billion tons of carbon to be stored annually by 2060. This will potentially help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Zeng’s proposed wooden vault design involves burying wood under clay, which creates a protective barrier. Although the long-term sustainability of these conditions is still under investigation, Zeng’s team has completed their original research and the findings suggest practical applications for climate mitigation efforts.
