Unit 1 - The Importance of Canada's Forests

Lesson 4: The Environmental Value of Canada's Forests


Canada's forests have great environmental importance, both nationally and globally:

  • Forests produce oxygen and help to regulate the global climate by absorbing and storing (CO2), a greenhouse gas, before it has a chance to reach the upper atmosphere; where it traps in heat - making the Earth warmer.

  • Forests reduce soil erosion and prevent flooding.

  • Forests filter air and water, acting as natural cleansers. Canada's forests contain a substantial portion of the world's fresh water supply.

  • Forests conserve biological diversity by providing habitat for two thirds of Canada's wildlife. The boreal forest, for example, is home to half of Canada's 450 bird species and provides nesting grounds for billions of migratory birds.
  • Forests are referred to as "carbon sinks" because they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thereby playing a key role in the carbon cycle.