Alder

A native waterside tree that thrives in wet ground and fixes nitrogen to improve poor soils. Ideal for riparian edges, rain gardens and damp SuDS margins where most trees fail; good for wildlife.

Alder

Carbon and evidence

Carbon Sink & Ecosystem Services

A living landscape element — a carbon sink and provider of ecosystem services, not a manufactured product. Its value is measured by sequestration and biodiversity, not embodied carbon, and it must never be netted against a product’s A1–A3.

Referenced

Carbon Sequestration

~8–18kgCO2/yr

Sequestered — carbon removed from the atmosphere

indicative for a medium tree at maturity; varies with size, form and context

Source: i-Tree Eco

Indicative and highly variable by species, size, soil and context. Sequestration is slow and reversible — it is not equivalent to avoiding an emission and must not offset embodied product carbon.

Biodiversity Net Gain

Medium distinctiveness

native; valuable in wet/riparian settings and for SuDS margins

Source: Defra Biodiversity Metric 4.0

England requires a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain; distinctiveness is one input to the habitat unit calculation.

Water / SuDS

canopy interception reduces runoff

Source: CIRIA SuDS Manual (C753)

Ecosystem Services

shade & urban coolingair quality (PM capture)canopy interception (SuDS)amenity (CAVAT)wet-tolerant / ripariannitrogen-fixing (improves soil)

Establishment & Maintenance

nursery growing, transport, tree pit, staking and establishment watering carry a small upfront carbon cost

Read This Honestly

  • Sequestration is slow, uncertain and reversible — it un-banks if the plant dies.
  • Never offset embodied product carbon with it.

Image: AnRo0002 / Wikimedia Commons · CC0

Evidence:Referenced source

Products in this category

No manufacturer products are listed in this category yet. You can specify alder generically and carry it through to a render and specification as normal.

Specification

Finish
Medium tree
Service life
60 years

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