Editing Cork (material) (section)

==Sources==
[[File:1-Arraiolos-0050.jpg|thumb|''[[Quercus suber]]'' (cork oak) bark, Portugal]]
There are about 2,200,000 hectares of cork oak ''([[Quercus suber]])'' forest in the [[Mediterranean basin]], the native area of the species. The most extensively managed habitats are in [[Portugal]] (34%) and in [[Spain]] (27%).
Annual production is about 300,000 tons; 49.6% from Portugal, 30.5% from Spain, 5.8% from [[Morocco]], 4.9% from [[Algeria]], 3.5% from [[Tunisia]], 3.1% from [[Italy]], and 2.6% from [[France]].<ref>{{cite web
 | title         = Cork Oak Forest (formerly titled: Cork Production – Area of cork oak forest)
 | url           = https://www.apcor.pt/en/montado/forest/
 | access-date   = 2022-12-10
 | archive-url   = https://web.archive.org/web/20150318120259/http://www.apcor.pt/artigo/cork-production.htm
 | archive-date  = 2015-03-18
 | website       = apcor.pt
 | publisher     = APCOR
}}</ref>
Once the trees are about 25 years old the cork is traditionally stripped from the trunks every nine years, with the first two harvests generally producing lower quality cork (''male cork'' or ''virgin cork''). The trees live for about 300 years.

The cork industry is generally regarded as environmentally friendly.<ref>{{cite web
 | last          = Skidmore
 | first         = Sarah
 | title         = Stopper pulled on cork debate
 | url           = https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2007-08-26-cork-debate_N.htm
 | date          = 2007-08-26
 | publisher     = [[USA Today]] ([[Associated Press|AP]])
}}</ref> Cork production is generally considered [[sustainable]] because the cork tree is not cut down to obtain cork; only the bark is stripped to harvest the cork.<ref>{{cite news
 | last          = McClellan
 | first         = Keith
 | title         = Apples, Corks, and Age
 | url           = http://www.blanconews.com/news/116198/
 | access-date   = 2014-05-22
 | archive-url   = https://web.archive.org/web/20141227232506/http://www.blanconews.com/news/116198/
 | archive-date  = 2014-12-27
 | publisher     = Blanco County News
}}</ref> The tree continues to live and grow. The [[sustainability]] of production and the easy [[recycling]] of cork products and by-products are two of its most distinctive aspects. [[Cork oak]] forests also prevent [[desertification]] and are a particular habitat in the [[Iberian Peninsula]] and the refuge of various [[endangered species]].<ref>{{cite news
 | last          = Henley
 | first         = Paul
 | title         = Urging vintners to put a cork in it
 | url           = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7623912.stm
 | date          = 2008-09-18
 | publisher     = [[BBC News]]
}}</ref>

[[Carbon footprint]] studies conducted by [[Corticeira Amorim]], Oeneo Bouchage of France and the Cork Supply Group of Portugal concluded that cork is the most environmentally friendly [[wine]] [[stopper (plug)|stopper]] in comparison to other alternatives. The [[Corticeira Amorim]]'s study, in particular ("Analysis of the life cycle of Cork, Aluminum and Plastic Wine Closures"), was developed by [[PricewaterhouseCoopers]], according to [[ISO 14000|ISO 14040]].<ref>{{cite web
 | title         = Analysis of the life cycle of Cork, Aluminium and Plastic Wine Closures
 | url           = http://www.corkfacts.com/pdffiles/Amorim_LCA_Final_Report.pdf
 | pages         = 126
 | date          = October 2008
 | publisher     = [[Corticeira Amorim]] (by [[PwC]]/ECOBILAN)
 | url-status    = dead
 | archive-url   = https://web.archive.org/web/20090913143609/http://www.corkfacts.com/pdffiles/Amorim_LCA_Final_Report.pdf
 | archive-date  = 2009-09-13
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 | title         = Analysis of the life cycle of Cork, Aluminium and Plastic Wine Closures (summary)
 | url           = https://www.portoprotocol.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Amorim-Cork_-Analysis-of-the-life-cycle-of-Cork-Aluminium-and-Plastic-Wine-Closures_PWC.pdf
 | pages         = 27
 | date          = November 2008
 | website       = Porto Protocol Foundation
 | publisher     = [[Corticeira Amorim]] (by [[PwC]]/ECOBILAN)
 | access-date   = 2022-12-10
}}</ref> Results concluded that, concerning the emission of greenhouse gases, each plastic stopper released 10 times more [[Carbon dioxide|CO<sub>2</sub>]], whilst an aluminium screw cap releases 26 times more CO<sub>2</sub> than does a cork stopper. For example, to produce 1,000 cork stoppers 1.5&nbsp;kg {{CO2}} are emitted, but to produce the same amount of plastic stoppers 14&nbsp;kg of {{CO2}} are emitted and for the same amount of aluminium screw caps 37&nbsp;kg {{CO2}} are emitted.<ref name=":1" />

The [[Quercus variabilis|Chinese cork oak]] is native to East Asia and is cultivated in a limited extent in China; the cork produced is considered inferior to ''Q. suber'' and are used to produce agglomerated cork products.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ferreira |first1=Joana |last2=Miranda |first2=Isabel |last3=Şen |first3=Umut |last4=Pereira |first4=Helena |date=2016-12-30 |title=Chemical and cellular features of virgin and reproduction cork from Quercus variabilis |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926669016306185 |journal=Industrial Crops and Products |volume=94 |pages=638–648 |doi=10.1016/j.indcrop.2016.09.038 |issn=0926-6690}}</ref>

The so-called "cork trees" ''([[Phellodendron]])'' are unrelated to the cork oak, they have corky bark but not thick enough for cork production.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}