Consuming Canada's Boreal Forest: The chain of ... - Greenpeace

Canada’s
Boreal Forest:
One of the World’s
Largest Ancient
Forests
Greenpeace
Canada’s Boreal Forest stretches across
the country from the most western territory
(Yukon) to the east coast (province of
Newfoundland and Labrador). It is Canada’s
largest ecosystem and encompasses almost
53 per cent of the country’s total landmass.
It also includes over 90 per cent of the country’s
remaining large intact forest areas. 1
The Canadian Boreal Forest 2 is part of a
green crown of northern forest circling the
top of the world, extending across northern
Europe, Russia, Alaska and Canada. The
Canadian Boreal Forest region, including
peatlands and treeless areas, totals 545
million hectares. The forested area of this
region covers 310 million hectares and 30
per cent of the world’s boreal forests are
found in Canada. 3
The Canadian Boreal Forest is a
diverse and awe-inspiring landscape of
granite outcrops, lakes, rivers, and marsh-
es, interspersed with pine, spruce, aspen
and poplar forests. Five species of
conifers (black spruce, white spruce,
tamarack, jack pine and balsam fir) are the
dominant trees, and pockets of deciduous
willows, alders, aspens and birches are
found in the vast expanses of softwoods.
The Boreal Forest is more than just trees
however, the forest floor is covered with
mosses, lichens, and a wide variety of
wildflowers and ferns.
The Boreal Forest contains a rich cultural
legacy and is a source of sustenance for
many of the indigenous peoples of
Canada—the First Nations and Métis. 4
Almost 80 per cent of Canada’s more than
one million aboriginal people live in more
than 600 communities in Canada’s forest
regions, and many depend on the wilder-
ness, water and wildlife of these places
for their livelihoods and cultures. 5
Numerous wildlife species, including moose,
caribou, lynx, bear and wolf depend on the
vast expanses of the Boreal Forest, while
eagles, hawks, owls, geese—30 per cent of
North America’s songbirds and 40 per cent
of its waterfowl—nest in its forested areas
and wetlands. In fact, nearly one billion birds
migrate north to breed in this forest after
wintering in warmer climates. Because of its
immense size, the Boreal Forest represents
one of the best global opportunities for
conservation of large intact forest areas.
Perhaps most importantly, it also acts as
a vital storehouse of carbon—holding vast
amounts—which is critical for battling
climate change.
Consuming Canada's Boreal Forest: The chain of destruction from logging companies to consumers
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