[mech987876]

Plant matter dies and rots and the carbon escapes to the atmosphere.

Ever since microorganisms evolved to eat dead plant matter the conditions to make coal on planet earth (and to create a carbon sink of buried coal) have been gone.

[ashoeafoot]

peat is a preform of coal accidic build up peat is pretty carbon storing. Unless the peat dries out.

[graemep]

So you are saying forests and otehr natural eco systems are not carbon sinks?

[mech987876]

While the trees are alive they sink the amount of carbon present within them.