Canada’s forests: Adapting to change
Canada’s forests are poised to adapt to a rapidly changing landscape. That’s the key message found in the latest edition of the State of Canada’s Forests report, updated in December 2020. Source: Timberbiz
Published annually by the Canadian government, the theme of the 2020 report is “Canada’s forests: adapting to change”.
The theme of this year’s Report reflects the sector’s ability to respond to new challenges and create new opportunities. This adaptability has been evident during the COVID-19 pandemic as the forest sector, in partnership with the Government of Canada, quickly shifted gears to implement new procedures that ensured the health and safety of workers and communities while completing the tree-planting season.
According to Seamus O’Regan, Canadian Minister of Natural Resources, adapting to change means finding innovative ways to use traditional waste products from sawmills and pulp mills.
In Quebec, for example, the Toundra greenhouse is using waste heat and carbon dioxide from a nearby pulp mill to grow tens of millions of cucumbers each year.
To meet the increasing severity of forest fires, Natural Resources Canada scientists have teamed up with the Canadian Space Agency to create WildFireSat, the world’s first satellite purpose-built to monitor wildfires.
And with the rate of climate change expected to be 10 to 100 times faster than the ability of forests to adapt, researchers are turning to genomics and selective breeding to give our trees a better chance to thrive in changing environments.
Meanwhile, Canada’s forests will continue to be an essential tool as we combat climate change through natural solutions like the planting of two billion trees over 10 years.
Adapting to change also means recognizing the intrinsic value of Indigenous knowledge and incorporating it into current and future practices. Scientists at Natural Resources Canada, together with Laval University, have worked with members of the Pessamit First Nation to create tools and practices for collaborative research.
As this Report makes clear, Canada’s foresters are continuing to adapt through innovation, imagination and excellence in sustainably managing this precious resource.
A copy of the full report is available for download;
