Canada has just won a shameful accolade: it is the largest contributor to deforestation worldwide. Deforestation of virgin forests in Canada accounts for 21.4% of global deforestation worldwide. While some of this is attributed to natural occurrences such as forest fires, the majority is from logging and development projects such as the tarsands.
Excessive logging is happening in Northern Alberta, the interior of BC and parts of Ontario and Quebec with little attempts at reforestation. Logging is a huge part of the Canadian economy and must start to be regulated in order to preserve what virgin forests the country has left.
Mature forests not only provide important habitat for wildlife, they also help mitigate the effects of climate change by being huge carbon stores. These forests are the inheritance of future generations and must be protected.
Canada has an opportunity to take a global leadership role in this area. It is possible to create a national strategy to include harvesting primarily from second or third generation forests and focusing more on reforestation and selective logging practices.
Sign now to support a National Forestry Strategy to protect virgin forests. By signing today you are showing your support for a lasting legacy of environmental integrity in Canada.
To the Honourable James Carr,
As a person who is greatly concerned with the health of the natural environment I am extremely concerned with the recent news that Canada is the largest contributor to global deforestation, accounting for 21.4% of deforestation of virgin forests worldwide.
Mature forests mitigate the effects of climate change and provide essential habitat for wildlife. Given that logging is such a large part of the Canadian economy it is imperative that there is a plan to protect these importan natural resources.
I urge you to create a National Forestry Strategy to protect virgin forests. The plan must include strategies to:
- protect old-growth and mature forests
- promote reforestation
- legislate the primary logging of second and third generation forests
[Your Comment Here]
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
