The North American boreal forest stretches from Alaska across 6,000 kilometers to Newfoundland. It is the largest wilderness left in North America and is part of an ecosystem that encircles the northern hemisphere. Vast amounts of carbon are locked up in the boreal forest. Their biomass is so huge that in the northern spring, when their growth is at its peak, worldwide levels of carbon dioxide fall and the worldwide levels of oxygen rise. Boreal forests are just as important to the global ecosystem as tropical forests. It is estimated that boreal forests store almost twice as much carbon as tropical forests and three times as much as temperate forests. The carbon storage of Canada’s boreal forest is estimated to be equal to nearly 27 years of the world’s carbon emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels. Click here to read more on global warming and Canada’s boreal forest.
In addition, the boreal forest acts as North America’s bird nursery. Over 300 of North America’s 325 species regularly breed in the boreal forest region. Considering the overwhelming threats already faced by songbirds, preserving the boreal forest may be absolutely vital to their very survival. Many groups are working to preserve the boreal forest including the Boreal Songbird Initiative.
More and more, development and resource extraction are encroaching upon this ecosystem. About two hectares of Canada’s boreal forest are clearcut every minute. Further, projects such as Alberta’s Tar Sands contribute hugely to global warming. New research by Global Forest Watch Canada shows that the extent of greenhouse gas emissions from tar sands operations is much worse than reported due to the failure of oil companies and governments to account for emissions from forest destruction. Christy Ferguson, Greenpeace climate and energy coordinator, says “Governments and companies are working hard to downplay the impacts of tar sands operations, but it turns out that they don’t even know the full extent of the problem.” Denial is not a climate strategy. Read more here.
An easy way that you can help to protect the boreal forest is this: simply choose forest-friendly products when you go shopping. There is now a good range of green disposable paper products available just about everywhere. You can get facial tissues, bathroom tissue, and paper towels made from 100% recycled paper. Buying these products saves a tree and also supports the recycling industry. Sponge pockets and quicker-picker-uppers, despite what the commercials would have you believe, are not magic wands. They are just paper towels that support the destruction of forests. Look for recycled-fibre printer paper too.
Thursday, October 15th, is Blog Action Day on Climate Change. Connect to the movement at blogactionday.org. October 24th is International Day of Climate Action. Come out and participate! You can find an event near you at www.350.org.
Thanks to Birdgirl of The Marvelous in Nature for the great photos of the boreal forest of northern Ontario.
Oil sands, oil & gas wells, and other development of energy sources exist because of demand. Cars, trucks, airplanes, plastics, etc.
Until we get alternative energy sources developed and reduce demand development will be necessary. The secret is to reduce emissions and use of fresh water. Industry is working on that successfully.
By the way the article in National Geo was totally one sided. Excellent stuff on the impacts of development, but nothing on the success of reducing the footprint.
Good post.
“simply choose forest-friendly products when you go shopping.”
I do choose forest-friendly products when I shop. I burn wood in my fireplace rather than burn oil which produces CO2 which the trees find poisonous. I use paper towels to clean up spills instead of cloth because the cloth ones are made in China and we all know the Chinese pollute the air with CO2. I also sit at a wooden desk at work because wood is better for the environment than the steel desks which pollute the air. I buy products which have lots of plastic packaging because it stays longer in the land fill and does not decay and pollute the air which the trees find poisonous.
I’m really doing my part.
Thanks for joining in the conversation.
It’s a sort of chicken or egg scenario, isn’t it? As long as there is cheap oil, we will use it. As long as we use it, the tar sands development will continue. The only thing that is likely to curtail oil use is higher prices.
And as long as the government sees tar sands development as a good investment, the money we need to be investing in alternative energy will likely be limited.
There is no line in the (tar) sand, is there? There is no point at which we say we will go this far and no further.
There is no point at which we say the damage we are doing is too much. Is destroying 100 acres of boreal forest too much
to pay for tar sands oil? How about 1000 acres? How about 10,000 acres? The answer is there is no limit.
We have plenty of room to cut back in use, but mostly choose not to. You don’t HAVE to fly to Disneyworld or Las Vegas, after all.
Baby steps like using recycled paper are better than no steps.
I like to think I’m up on environmental problems and “issues,” but I must admit that “Tar Sands” are new to me! I’ll have to do some research into this to discover what they are!
Something that I learned about nine years ago while visiting Alberta is just how destructive “natural gas” production is. Here in the States it is billed as “clean energy,” but after hearing about the cancer rates downwind of natural gas fields, seeing the mountains of sulfur by products, and learning about sweet vs sour gas, I feel that once more we’ve had the proverbial wool pulled over our eyes, yet there is no one here getting that particular story out!
Environmentalists call them Tar Sands and oil company supporters call them Oil Sands. Either way, they generate a lot of controversy. I doubt if, one way or another, there is any really ‘clean’ fossil fuel left out there.
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