Of course it stores CO2. What happens when you burn wood? But how much is used to burn wood? I would argue wood being cut is used for building, especially trees that size. Also, compost is made from the saw dust or pressed wood. If a house or building using that wood is around for over 25 years, the new trees net way more oxygen
It doesn't store CO2. It takes in CO2, emits O2, and converts the rest to sugar (carbohydrate). When you burn wood, the carbon from the carbohydrates combines with O2 from the water in the plant to release C02, methane, and a few other things (the methane has carbon and hydrogen).
Over 99% of the world's old growth has been logged, 80% of it in the last century. Not one single tree will ever be replaced. Each day there are less old trees and soon there will ony be photos for reference. Bottom line, old trees provide homes, food, protection, flood control, erosion control, hunting grounds, and symbiotic relationships which are unavailable anywhere else on the planet. Species of flora and fauna are going extinct by the tens of thousands as the world's last few virgin forests fall to the axe. Many, if not most, of our most important drugs come from old groth forests and that is where scientists see the best chance to find eventual cures for most diseases.
Erosion can be controlled by smaller plants FYI. And yes years ago they weren't replaced but now they are
So let's get back to the topic. Older wood doesn't grow as fast, hence doesn't take in as much carbon as, let's say, a 5 year old tree still vigorously growing. So the younger tree creates more oxygen
But as Maris pointed out, old growth does a whole lot more than provide oxygen. It's true in the Amazon and its true in the Red Woods or anywhere else. Obviously there has to be some logging. I'm not that obtuse. But claiming that cutting down old trees and replacing them with a new one will somehow improve the world is silly.
http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/enviro/erosion/eyoudo.html Small plants can definitely control erosion
