Canada's threatened bird nursery: The boreal forest

The boreal forest, a region that makes up over half of Canada, is the home of many symbols of our national identity. Natural splendour abounds in this area, home to spruce trees, beavers and a sky full of songbirds. The boreal forest has sustained First Nations’ cultures for generations. The boreal’s rivers were Canada’s first transportation network and the landscapes of this area have inspired generations of Canadian artists, writers and musicians.

Unfortunately logging, oil and gas exploration, and other industrial activities threaten this forest, which stretches from the Yukon and British Columbia to Newfoundland and Labrador.

If left intact, the boreal forest would continue to absorb carbon from the atmosphere. However, when the boreal forest is destroyed or damaged, carbon is released into the atmosphere. The carbon stored in our boreal region is equivalent to more than 900 years of Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Protecting our boreal forest is essential to confronting the climate crisis.

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