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Supporting biological diversity takes centre stage for CIF-IFC National Forest Week

8/25/2023

1 Comment

 
By: Matthew Perry, Forest Communications Advocate, Canadian Institute of Forestry/Institut du Canada (CIF-IFC)
From September 17-23, 2023, Canadians from coast to coast to coast are invited to celebrate National Forest Week (NFW). Through this one-week campaign led by the CIF-IFC, individuals from all ways of life can learn more about the forest sector and its significance to Canada’s culture, history, and future, while also supporting a greater recognition of forests as a valuable, renewable and green resource.
This year’s theme “Canada’s Forests: Supporting Biological Diversity”, highlights how biological diversity in our forests is critical to our survival. From fresh air and water, food security, medicines, shelter to innovative products and technologies, forests and trees provide many cultural, societal, environmental, and economical benefits.
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Biodiversity is defined as: “the variability of life (plants, animals, bacteria, etc.) found in the world’s ecosystems. Biodiversity includes genetic differences within species and variations in the ecosystems they inhabit” (NRCan, 2023).

Having the third-largest forest area in the world, Canada’s forests are made up of 32 native conifer, 125 native hardwood, and at least 55 exotic tree species (NRCan, 2023; StatCan, 2018). These forests serve an important part in supporting biodiversity and are home to a wide variety of wildlife, plants, fungi, mosses, and lichens.
 
Within Canada’s forests, there are a number of characteristics that impact the ability of species to flourish and grow, including age, composition, and structure. Additionally, forest disturbances (i.e., wildfire, drought, and disease) can also influence forest characteristics, which can also be affected by climate change.
 
Through sustainable forest management practices, forest practitioners, professionals, researchers, and scientists are playing a key role in protecting biodiversity amidst a changing climate, helping ensure our forests remain strong for generations to come.
 
How our forests support and maintain biological diversity are highlighted in our NFW 2023 daily sub-themes:
  • Sunday, September 17, 2023 – Benefits of biodiversity  
  • Monday, September 18, 2023 – Biodiversity in the forest
  • Tuesday, September 19, 2023 – Biodiversity in a changing world
  • Wednesday, September 20, 2023 – Forest ecosystem services and products    
  • Thursday, September 21, 2023 – Maintaining biodiversity
  • Friday, September 22, 2023 – Connecting with forests
  • Saturday, September 23, 2023 – Responsible forest management
 
There are many ways you can participate in NFW including: engaging in CIF-IFC’s free NFW-themed contests and activities, learning about forests and trees through the Institute’s educational resources, organizing or participating in a tree plant or NFW event, exploring a forest near your home, or learning more about forests and sustainable forest management.
 
Visit the CIF-IFC website to learn more about our 2023 NFW sponsors or how you can celebrate Canada’s forests this September. Stay connected by using the #NationalForestWeek hashtag and share your NFW stories, events, and photos with us at: [email protected] or tag us/follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and/or LinkedIn.
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Formed in 1908, the CIF-IFC is the national voice of forest practitioners and many others with an interest in forestry and forests. The Institute strives to provide national leadership, promote competence, and foster public awareness of Canadian and international forestry/forest issues.
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References:

  1. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). 2023. Diversity: The key to resilience in forest ecosystems.
  2. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). 2023. How much forest does Canada have?
  3. Statistics Canada (StatCan). 2018. Forests in Canada - Section 2 Forests and the forest sector in Canada.
1 Comment
leslie
10/7/2023 06:28:12 am

I am disappointed that your organization (CIF Cdn Instit of Forestry) is making no effort to create a nation-wide response to the forest destruction of summer 2023. Surely we need a single national cmte with sub-cmte for separate issues where those with the know-how will share and dispute best practices.

Eg 1. We need a national map of fire damage, showing ownership by private/municipal, logging industry, provincial, native and parks Links from the map to those owners' websites. Hopefully they will post their own recovery agenda.
2. Is it possible for industry to use burnt/dead wood? Is there sufficient capacity of mills to accept the wood. Is there place to stash their lumber output so as to not flood the market? Would this be an input factor into the ever-lasting CdnUS border pricing dispute?
3. What is the current knowledge about drought tolerance of our native species? Is there breeding of better variants? Is there nursery capacity for replanting of even the commercially-owned areas with these better variants? I just read a paper that concluded better drought tolerance with mixed soft/hard wood species. Is that possible for commercial harvesting? Should replanting with a mono-culture of the same species that went up in flames be allowed?
4. Should land owned by the provinces/parks be allowed to self-regenerate and self-select for presumably ongoing summer droughts?
5. Areas adjacent to municipalities must have public support to keep people OUT of the burn areas so they do not track in invasive plants. Eg Foxglove will love this land in southern BC. The already-existing organizations for volunteer invasive plant/animal action does not seem to care (e.g. ignored my contact).
6. With motorized bikes and even normal bikers loving to make trails (eg in Vancouver's Stanley Park) to prove their 'chops?' regardless of the forest destruction, how can municipalities patrol their areas?
7. Can the areas NOT burnt last summer be protected by de-brushing now? Should this be a priority over harvesting existing dead wood?
8. This work cannot all be done by paid workers. Parks and municipalities need to use more volunteers. That means getting union staff to accept reality so they don't force waste of taxpayers' money. This means that the existing management of 'sanctioned' volunteer organizations must get over their current feelings of 'ownership' of all volunteer work (even when their membership is doing nothing).

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