"The World's Last Great Forest"

"The wave of development pushing north through Canada's boreal forest leaves, in its wake, an expanding list of impacted species and widespread degradation of eco-system services."
"Older recommendations -- that setting aside 10% - 20% of a region's land base would be sufficient to maintain a region's biodiversity and ecological processes -- are now known to reflect major underestimates."
"To maintain ecological processes and the full complement of wildlife species, at least 50% of an ecosystem or broad-scale landscape should be incorporated into a network of conservation areas that are free of industrial disturbance."
Such conservation initiatives "should accommodate Aboriginal traditional uses of the land and should be managed or co-managed by Aboriginal governments...enshrined in civil institutions" to ensure that environmental commitments "cannot be changed to accommodate short-term political pressures and sensitivities."
The International Boreal Conservation Science Panel

Canada's 5.8-million square kilometre reach of northern woods and wetlands, the country's priceless natural resources comprised a topic of immense importance and discussion at the opening day of a global international conference of ecological scientific researchers taking place in Baltimore this week. Their considered recommendation was for a target of protection of 50% of vulnerable natural environment.


To be set aside in perpetuity, to be protected by careful management for the purpose of preserving -- including possible restoration to its original integrity -- of that immense land mass. The report that the International Boreal Conservation Science Panel released to the conference was titled "the world's last great forest". Canada's huge boreal forest land mass is described as "one of the world's greatest natural treasures".

It ranks along with the Siberian boreal forest and the Amazon rainforest as among the last three significant areas of Earth's forested land, "never ... touched by the large-scale footprint of human industrial expansion". Pristine, natural, raw and vulnerable. Vulnerable because of encroaching forestry, mining and energy projects across the country. And they include Alberta's oil sands. All of which transform immense tracts of the boreal frontier.

PHOTO: Leah Hennel 

Bear 126, a male grizzly bear, bolts up a steep hillside at the last second as a train rushes by in the Bow Valley
And as they do, they impact on all the life that is supported by the boreal forest. Destroying wildlife habitat, disrupting ancient migration patterns long established by the animals who make their home there, and as well, threatening water quality. The end result -- a potential disruption and compromising of the entire ecosystem. This frightening potential is what the panel warns must be avoided at all costs.

According to the researchers, about one-eighth of the total of Canada's boreal forest -- some 730,000 square kilometres -- is "already affected by these industries and their infrastructure", inclusive of roads and hydroelectric dams. The woodland caribou "have disappeared from the southern tier of the boreal forest". Wolverine, grizzly bear and wolf are also in threat of ecological disruption.

"It has become apparent that substantially more habitat protection than previously recognized is needed."