Forests absorb carbon. A cube of wood that is 1 meter on each side holds a metric ton of carbon dioxide. And in 2019, trees absorbed over 7% of the carbon dioxide emitted by global fossil fuel combustion.
Older trees hold more carbon simply because they have existed longer.
But just how old are the oldest forests in the world?
Would you believe one of the youngest of the old growth forest is a mere few thousand years old? And the oldest is 180 million years old.
What forest holds the title for being the oldest?
The Daintree Rainforest forest in Queensland Australia. This tropical rainforest is home to many Australian reptile, butterfly, bat and marsupial species. It is about 40% the size of the U.S. state of Rhode Island.
The trees in your neighborhood are youngsters when compared to these forests, but there is an oldest tree in your neighborhood somewhere. Maybe try finding it on your next walk.