Environmental News 23.7.13, Part III: Canada’s Forests – Just Another Victim of Tar Sands, Logging, Mining ... You Get the Picture. As the Barrier Reef reels from yet another threat to its existence, the vast boreal forests of Canada, the so-called Amazon of the north, struggle to maintain their integrity against the forestry, mining and energy projects roaring across Canada. The International Boreal Conservation Science Panel and leading Canadian environmental experts like ecologist, David Schindler, are sounding the alarm about Canada’s 5.8 million sq. km expanse of northern woods and wetlands. Huge swaths of the boreal frontier are being destroyed by development, and, with the forest goes wildlife habitats, ancient animal migration routes and the quality of the rivers and streams. Researchers show that some 730 000 sq.km. — about one-eighth of the total — is “already affected by these industries and their infrastructure,” including roads and hydroelectric dams, and, iconic species such as the woodland caribou “have disappeared from the southern tier of the boreal forest” while other signature wildlife of Canada’s forests — wolverine, grizzly bear and wolf — are in trouble. Science advisor, Jeff Wells, said in a statement that because of the “mounting pressures on boreal regions of Canada,” efforts to sustain their “globally important conservation values will require very large protected areas.” Good luck with that… vancouversun/technology/Huge+swaths+Canada+boreal+forests+under+threat/8689669/story.html
Posted on: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 20:30:29 +0000
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