Researchers have discovered an innovative method to help fight climate change: burying wood underground. A 3,775-year-old log found in Canada has shown that wood can preserve its carbon content for thousands of years when buried under the right conditions. The discovery, led by climatologist Ning Zeng, suggests a cheap, scalable way to lock in carbon.

Carbon conservation in buried wood

An ancient cedar log was unexpectedly found during an experiment in Quebec. It has remained intact for millennia thanks to a protective layer of clay and oxygen-free groundwater, which protected it from decomposers such as fungi and bacteria. Radiocarbon dating has confirmed that less than five percent of the carbon has been lost over nearly 4,000 years.

Burying wood to reduce CO2 emissions

Forests naturally absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide, but most of it is released back into the air when the trees decay. This study suggests that by burying wood, especially under ideal soil conditions, carbon release can be significantly slowed. Zeng’s research estimates that buried wood could capture up to 10 billion tons of CO2 per year — the equivalent of more than a quarter of global energy emissions.

A practical and cost-effective solution

The tools required for this method are simple — a tractor and a backhoe. In addition, wood that has no commercial use could be used, reducing costs. Although finding suitable burial sites is a challenge, this low-tech solution can be an effective complement to high-tech carbon capture methods.

Reverse the climate crisis

In essence, this approach is similar to reversing the process of coal formation, where vegetation buried over millions of years became one of the main contributors to climate change. This simple method of burying wood could play a key role in the fight against rising temperatures.