 Book
and newspaper production is connected to impacts on one of the last intact
forest ecosystems on Earth - the Canadian Boreal Forest. It is
estimated that 2.5 million acres of the Boreal are logged each
year and that 65% of the cut is specifically for paper products
such as books, newsprint, magazines, catalogs, copy paper and tissue
products. Eighty percent of this paper production is destined
for U.S. markets.
46% of all newsprint consumed in the U.S. was once part of a Canadian forest, and most of this is derived from the Boreal. The 1.3 billion acres of the Canadian Boreal Forest span from Alaska to the Atlantic Ocean, and provide crucial habitat for bears, wolves, lynx and caribou. The Canadian Boreal also serves as the breeding ground for billions of birds each year. Additionally, the Canadian Boreal plays a vital role in mitigating the impacts of climate change—storing between 7 and 11% of the carbon in the Earth's biosphere.
 People
and CommunitiesAbout
1 million people live in more than 600 First Nations communities
throughout the Canadian Boreal Forest. Many of these people rely
on the forest for traditional uses such as hunting, trapping,
and gathering plants for food and medicine.
As can be seen by
the profile of the Grassy Narrows First Nation, the impacts of
logging on these communities can be devastating.
Joe Fobister and his grandson in a homeland ravaged by
clearcutting
Photo by Jennifer deGroot
Boreal Conservation Framework
Right now the Canadian Boreal Forest is mostly intact, however
only 8% is protected and more than 30% has been designated for
logging or development. Publishers and Printers are encouraged
to endorse the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework
which sets a goal of protecting at least 50% of the forest from logging and
development.
Our collection of reports and articles provide more information about
the Boreal Forest and its importance to wildlife, indigenous
communities, and as a buffer against the impacts of climate
change. |
