Chapter 9 Forestry

 Canada is the worlds leading exporter of softwood, newsprint, and wood pulp.  This makes forestry an important part of the Canadian economy  We now use forests not only to harvest their trees but also for their recreational value.

 There are three types of forests Coniferous- These trees haveevergreen needles, softwood, seeds in cones that hang, waxy needles, thick bark.  Include spruce, pine, fir, cedar.  Perfect for pulp and paper, and lumber products. Deciduous- These forests have broad leaves and hard wood, shed their leaves in winter.  Include birch, maple, cherry, wallnut  Valued for furniature, and flooring, baseball bats, hockey sticks. Mixed – Mixed forests have a combination of both types of forests

 Coniferous forests flourish in Canada due to the cool moist climate.  However in areas where the average annual temperature is above 10 0 C you can get deciduous or mixed forests.  Along the cost of British Colombia there are areas where you can receive enough precipitation to support coniferous rainforest.

 Boreal Forest Three sub-regions  Boreal forest  Boreal forest and tundra- Transition between tundra and boreal.  Boreal forest and grassland- Transition between grassland and forest. Small to medium sized coniferous trees. Trees adapted to cool short summers and long winters

 West Coast Coniferous rain forest: Most productive forest region in Canada One of the few remaining old-growth foests in the world The windward slopes of the Coast Range Mountains Enormous trees Douglas Fir, Sitka, Spruce, and western red cedar

 Columbia Coniferous Forest Found on the wet western slope of the high interior mountains of British Columbia. The same species as the coast confierous rain forest but they are much smaller and shorter.

 Montane Coniferous Forest Low lying interior areas of British Columbia These forests lie in the rainshodow of the coast ranges The trees in the area are even smaller and shorter than the other areas.

 Deciduous Forest Hot summers, short winters, abundant precipitation, long growing season, fertile soils. Most of this area has been cleared for farming and urban development Low volume of wood perhectar

 Great Lakes- St.Lawernce Mixed Forest Transition area between the boreal forest and the deciduous forest Temperatures are moderate, with an adequate amount of precipitation Deciduous trees grow in the places with the best soils, while in areas where soil is poorly drained or thin coniferous trees grow.

 Acadian Mixed Forest Transition between deciduous and coniferous forest. The tree species differ from that of the great lakes. The trees are better suited for the cold winters of the Atlantic coast

 Not all forests are suitable for harvest  Productive Forests: forests that can be harvested profitably Found in warmer wetter regions where trees grow quickly and to be very large  Unproduvtive Forests: Forests that cannot be harvested profitably. Found in cooler climates where trees are smaller and more spaced out.

 Roughly one job in ten depends on the forestry  The forest industry is divided into four main sectors Logging: Falling, collecting and hauling logs to mills. Paper and allied products: Making and, recycling paper products. Wood industries: Sawmills and wood manufacturing industries. Furniture industries: Making of all types of wooden or partly wooden furniature

 The forestry experiences boom and bust cycles.  Boom and bust cycles: When times are good more houses are built and more books are sold creating more jobs. In times of recession people are laid off and jobs decrease.

 Extensive logging is endangering ecosystems in all forest regions  In the past the government has issued permits for logging with little study of the environmental impacts.  In the 1990’s Canadians became unhappy with the way the forestry was being run and environmental movements began to form The main concern of the environmental groups was the preservation of Old Growth Forests  Old growth forests: are mature forests that have not been disturbed by human activity.

 Another part of the problem was clear cutting  Clear-Cut: All trees in a block, strip, or patch of forest are removed, leaving barren hills and slopes.  Environmental groups used clear cutting and the protection of old growth forests as points to change public opinion.

 Measures being taken to protect Canada’s forests 1. Clear-cuts regulated to 40 ha 2. Tall trees must be left standing around the edges of clear cuts to protect seedlings 3. Forest debris must be left to decay to provide nutrients for the soil 4. There are regulations requiring replanting, and companies must monitor for success. 5. Investment in silviculture Silviculture: the breeding, developing, and cultivating of trees.

 Sustainable Development: The harvesting of natural resources so that they can recover at a rate equalling or exceeding the rate of harvesting.  It is important to make sure that we do not use our resources faster than they can replenish themselves  The volume of trees cut must be less than the volume of trees replanted.

 Small patch clear cutting: Clear cutting a small area of 1 or 2 ha of old growth forests. Leaving a large buffer of old trees to provide natural reseeding and protection Logging debris is left to decay, providing nutrients

 Shelterwood Logging: Removing up to 70% of the trees on site. Small patches of old growth forests are left standing This provides natural reseeding

 Seed Tree Retention: Removes all forest except for a few seed bearing trees 25 per hectare These trees provide the seeds for re-growth

 Selective Cutting: Harvests only mature trees form a certain species Trees are removed either individually or in small groups

 Silviculture: breeding developing and cultivating of trees. Scientists are working to breed faster growing insect and disease resistant trees. These trees will produce better quality wood and higher quantity of wood  Reforestation requires mature trees When mature trees are removed forests must be regenerated artificially This requires tree farms to supply saplings for planting.

 Forest Fires  Acid Rain  Insect and Disease