1. Canada’s Forestry Industry

2. There are different viewpoints on how our forests should be managed and used.
Which one is correct?
How can we harvest the forests for products that we need, and at the same time protect the forest environment?
The answer to this question is complex.
We can gain some understanding, however, if we examine the nature, importance, and use of forests.

3. Sustained Yield Forest Management
Using forest resources at a rate that does not prevent the resources from renewing

4. Question 2
Imagine driving at 100 kilometres per hour for 12 hours a day.
It would take you more than four days to cross the continuous band of forest that stretches from British Columbia to Newfoundland.
Forests cover close to half (4,187,820 square kilometres, or 42%) of Canada’s total area.
This is an area greater than the total area of 15 Western European nations combined!
Only Russia and Brazil have more forest cover than Canada (3rd).
The Canadian government owns approximately 94% of the nation’s forestland – the federal government owns 16% and the provincial government owns 77%.

5. Types of Trees Coniferous (aka. evergreens)
Are softwood trees – they grow quickly, so their wood is soft
Are used to make framing for houses and paper products
Examples: fir, pine, spruce
66% of Canada’s Forest Cover

6. Types of Trees Deciduous (aka. broadleaf)
Are hardwood trees – they take a long time to grow, so their wood is dense and hard
Are used to make flooring and fine furniture
Examples: poplar, maple, birch
12% of Canada’s Forest Cover

7. Types of Trees Mixed Forest
As a combination of both coniferous and deciduous trees
22% of Canada’s Forest Cover

8. Types of Forests Commercial Forests
Includes forests that are harvested for a profit
Exist in warmer, wetter areas of Canada; trees grow quicker
Are near roads, railways, and waterways – timber can be shipped easily

9. Types of Forests Non-Commercial Forests
Includes forests that are unlikely to be harvested
Exist farther north where temperatures and precipitation are low; trees do not grow quickly or large enough
Are too far from transportation routes, which does not make their shipment economical (it will cost too much money)

10. Canada’s 5 Major Commercial Forest Regions

11. Canada’s temperature rainforest and most productive forest region:
West Coast Forest
Lots of precipitation, moderate temperatures, long growing season results in very large trees
Lumber, cedar shingles, plywood

12. West Coast Forest
Douglas Fir
Sitka Spruce

13. Canada’s largest forest region:
Boreal Forest
Mainly coniferous (softwood) trees
Long winters and low precipitation results in slow tree growth
Pulp and paper production

14. Boreal Forest Black Spruce White Spruce Balsam Fir Jack Pine Cedar
Tamarack
White Birch
Poplar

15. The forest region that we live in:
Mixed Forest
Longer growing season
Lots of precipitation
Coniferous trees in north and south; deciduous trees in the south
Conifers harvested for lumber and pulp and paper
Deciduous harvested for lumber, flooring, and furniture
Sugar maples provide most of Canada’s maple syrup

16. Mixed Forest

17. Canada’s most northern forest region – trees are stunted:
Taiga Forest
Thin soil, cool temperatures, short growing season, permafrost – all result in stunted trees
Coniferous trees and some deciduous (hardwood) trees
Inaccessible and far from markets

18. Taiga Forest

19. Canada’s second-most productive forest region:
Montane Forest
Lower precipitation and shorter growing season than west coast
Smaller coniferous trees
Lumber and pulp and paper

20. Montane Cordillera Forest
Ponderosa Pine
Engelmann Spruce
Douglas Fir

21. Economic Impact of Forests
The forest industry produces lumber, pulp and paper, and other forest products
Contributes over $81 billion per year!
Over half of this is exported to other countries.
 Provides more than 360,000 direct jobs for Canadians.
These jobs are associated with the companies that harvest the timber and operate the saw and paper mills located near the forests.
Provides almost 500,000 indirect jobs
In companies that provide products and services for forestry companies and workers.

22. Important Manufacturing Operations
Description
Pulp and Paper
Canada’s second largest producer and the largest exporter
Plants in every province except P.E.I
Plants mainly concentrated in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia
Lumber
Includes raw cut timber, plywood, cedar, shingles etc
Sawmills decreasing since the 1970s
BC dominates in this

23. Value of Forest Industry
Pulp and Paper Products
Other Provinces
$7286 million
Quebec
$11575 million
British Columbia
$7514 million
Ontario
$10018 million

24. Methods of Harvesting Forests
Clear Cutting
Involves removing all trees at one time; leaves barren landscape behind which is sometimes replanted
Fastest, cheapest, and safest logging method
Most environmentally damaging
90% of Canada’s forests are cut this way

25. Methods of Harvesting Forests

26. Methods of Harvesting Forests
Shelterwood Logging
Involves clear-cutting only a part of a forest; groups of seed-bearing trees are left standing so they can regenerate the logged area
Faster, cheaper, and safer logging method
Moderate level of environmental damaging

27. Methods of Harvesting Forests

28. Methods of Harvesting Forests
Selective Cutting
Involves the cutting of mature trees that are of a certain type, size, and quality only
Is much less disruptive of the forest environment; tends to be more costly because of the extra care and time that is taken

29. Methods of Harvesting Forests

30. Old Growth Forest?
A space of mature trees which have never been cut down
Clayoquot Sound, a world-famous old growth forest on Vancouver Island, was saved from foresters in the early 1990s by protestors.
About 80% of Aboriginal communities are in forested areas.

31. What happens if too few trees are planted?

32. Issues Facing Canada’s Forests
Insects and disease pose a threat to Canada’s forests.

33. Issues Facing Canada’s Forests
Forest Fires – while naturally they are good for the forest, there are problems when they are caused by humans

34. Issues Facing Canada’s Forests
Air pollution and climate change have an impact on when forests grow, where forests grow, and what types of tree grow.

35. Issue Description Acid Precipitation Insects & Disease Fire
Precipitation made after Sulphur Dioxide and nitric oxide mixes with water vapour
Trees die due to acid rain cause by factory emissions.
Insects & Disease
Forest area damaged by insects and diseases every year is larger than the area harvested annually by forest companies
Fire
New healthy trees regenerate quickly in fires
On average, 9500 fires burn 3 million hectares of Canada's forest every year
Air Pollution & Climate Change
Warmer conditions due to global warming could increase distribution and growth of trees
However, could take decades or even centuries for trees to adapt