Lesson 3: Canada’s Early Settlers
Unit 1 - The Historical Use of Canada's Forests
Lesson 3: Canada's Early Settlers
The early settlers of Canada tended to view the forest as a significant obstacle to progress. Although the trees were important sources of building materials and fuel, they prevented farming and grazing. For this reason, the clearing of forested land was a major priority for the pioneers. In fact, early land grants demanded that the land be cleared within a certain amount of time.
In the early nineteenth century, Canadian timber became a valuable commodity. Great Britain had used up most of its own lumber by this time and so began looking to Canada for quality timber. Especially valuable were Canada's large trees—the ones that could be used in shipbuilding.
The timber trade quickly became a massive industry, bringing much investment and immigration to Canada
Neither the early settlers nor the lumbermen realized that Canada's vast forest resource needed management and protection. There was a sense that the forest would last forever.
As a result, huge tracts of forests were cleared with little thought towards the future.
Recognition of wood products' strategic and economic value was driven home in WWI and WWII; this began the period of sustainable forest management.