1. Issues Facing Forests

2. Forest Fires
Fire is part of life cycle of forest and can be good allowing new healthy trees to regenerate quickly (but too much not good)
9500 fires burn three million hectares of Canada’s forest every year
48% caused by lightning
52% caused by people

3. Clear-Cutting
Extensive logging began in the late 1800s and the early 1900s. At this time many forests were stripped bare
In the past trees were cut down faster than nature or people could replace them
In the 1990s the forest industry began to be closely monitored to ensure that the forests are managed in a sustainable way

4. Acid Precipitation
Trees are dying from acid precipitation caused by emissions
Trees have weakened and their needles have turned yellow
Those that don’t die
grow more slowly

5. Insect Pests and Diseases
The forest area damaged
by insects and disease
every year is larger than
the area harvested annually by forest companies
- At risk by Canadian pests as well as “imported” insects

6. A Balanced Approach Canada’s forests are not limitless
Goal = Sustained yield forest management – the controlled uses of forest resources at a rate that allows forests to renew themselves
There are environmental and human harms to forests
Easy way to help = recycle (20-30 trees are saved for every tonne of paper recycled)