GEOG 203 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Boreal Forest Of Canada, Mulch, Carbon Cycle
GEO203- Canadian Environmental Issues
Chapter 9: Forests
What to study in Chapter 9
✓ In textbook: 284-296 (stop at 296 at Site Preparation/Biocide Use)
o Do not study Guest Statement on pp. 293-294
✓ In textbook: pp. 301-309 (ignore boxes 9.7 & 9.8)
o Focus on pp.301-303
✓ In textbook: p.289 Forest ecosystem services: carbon sequestration, water and
nutrient cycling & waste decomposition
✓ PowerPoint: [9-10] [11-13] [16-18] [24-25] + Forests and Biodiversity
Canada’s Boreal Forest [ppt. 3-4]
• More than 186 billions tons of carbon are stored in the Boreal forests’ trees, soils,
water and mulch
o = 913 YEARS WORTH OF GHG EMISSIONS IN CANADA
• The Global Boreal is the largest terrestrial carbon bank account on the planet,
with values at least X2 of tropical forests
• Approx. 50% of the BF is allocated to industry and is open to harvesting
• The Boreal Shield is the largest of Canada’s terrestrial ecozones but has one
of the lowest proportions of land (6 per cent) dedicated to protected areas in which
all forms of industrial activity are prohibited.
• Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement was signed in by of Canada’s
largest forestry companies and 9 national environmental organizations to
ensure a more protected and sustainable boreal forest.
• Excluding the Artic ecozones, more than ¼ of of Canada’s landmass is within
500mof human access or activity; outside the broreal region, less than 45% of the
forested area is found in unfragmented blocks covering at least 50 000 hectares
• In the boreal region, more than 60% of the timber productive area has already been
logged at least once
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• The boreal forests support commercial activities such as logging, wood fiber and
sawlog production, pulp and paper mills and fiberboard production
o Its wealth of minerals supports prospecting, mining and smelting activities
• billion tons of carbon are stored in the Boreal’s tress, soils, water and peat 3
years’ worth of G(G emissions in Canada
• The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement was signed in by of Canada’s
largest forestry companies and nine national organizations to ensure a more
protected and sustainable boreal forest
1) Complete a representative network of protected areas that can serve as
ecological benchmarks of the boreal forest
2) Protect species at risk
3) Reduce GHG emissions through the entire life-cycle of a forest product
4) Develop sustainable forest-management based on ecosystem principles,
active management and 3rd-party verification
5) Improve the prosperity of the forest sector ad associated communities
6) Recognize the importance of consumers and investors
Overview of Canada’s Forests [ppt. 5-12]
• Canada = 1/10th of the world’s forests
• These forests are 3% of the nation’s land area
• If surrounding ecosystems such as wetlands and lakes are considered, and then
almost 2/3 of Canada is dominated by forest ecosystems.
• Country State= Canada
• Area= Total Area
• Land Area= not total
• Protection of Land/Ecosystems International Standard Goal: 12%
• % of Canada’s treed area is covered by coniferous forests:
o Spruces (Picea), Pines (Pinus), Firs (Abies)
o 20% mixed wood, 10% deciduous forest [poplar, birch,maple]
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find more resources at oneclass.com
• Canada has ¼ of the world’s temperate rain forests and /3 of the world’s boreal
forests
Deforestation
Permanent conversion of forests to other land uses
• In Canada: conversion is mainly used for agricultural land with conversion to oil
and gas being use being the next main factor and the most rapidly growing
o Forest degradation by unsustainable harvesting practices is another issue
Canada is crucial to the maintenance of global intact forest landscapes (IFLs)
• These landscapes are large enough to retain native biodiversity and contain no
signs of fragmentation by logging and infrastructure such roads, mining, and oil
or gas development
IFL degradation report
▪ Since 2000 8.1% of IFLs have degraded
▪ Almost % of the world’s remaining )FLs are in the boreal and tropical regions
▪ Largest areas of IFL degradations are in the Northern boreal forest belt of Canada,
Russia and Alaska (47%) and tropical rain forests Amazon (25%) and Congo (9%)
▪ Canada, Russia and Brazil together contain % of the world’s remaining )FLs
▪ Canada is responsible for most of the IFL degradation in the world (21%)
Forest Ecosystem Services and Products
• Canada’s forest ecosystems provide an array of beneficial services arising from
ecological functions such as nutrient and water recycling, carbon
sequestration and waste decomposition
• Canada’s boreal forest produces over $ billion of ecosystem services to
the world annually
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
In textbook: 284-296 (stop at 296 at site preparation/biocide use) What to study in chapter 9: do not study guest statement on pp. 301-309 (ignore boxes 9. 7 & 9. 8: focus on pp. 301-303. In textbook: p. 289 forest ecosystem services: carbon sequestration, water and nutrient cycling & waste decomposition. Powerpoint: [9-10] [11-13] [16-18] [24-25] + forests and biodiversity. 500mof human access or activity; outside the broreal region, less than 45% of the forested area is found in unfragmented blocks covering at least 50 000 hectares. If surrounding ecosystems such as wetlands and lakes are considered, and then. Permanent conversion of forests to other land uses. In canada: conversion is mainly used for agricultural land with conversion to oil and gas being use being the next main factor and the most rapidly growing: forest degradation by unsustainable harvesting practices is another issue. Russia and alaska (47%) and tropical rain forests amazon (25%) and congo (9%)