Boreal Forest

A global forest
Public involvement in forest management
The ecological effect of wildfires
Boreal harvest practices
Wildlife protection

The boreal forest is a global forest

The boreal (or northern) forest is a vast area stretching through Canada, Alaska, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Home to the world's largest populations of caribou, wolves, grizzly bears, and lynx, it is also the breeding ground for an estimated one-third of North America's land birds and 40 percent of its waterfowl. About 70 percent of the boreal remains undeveloped, leading to concerns about encroaching human use.

Three-quarters of Canada's forest is in the boreal. The Canadian boreal includes a rich variety of grasslands, tundra, rocky outcrops, and extensive wetlands. It is dominated by hardy coniferous trees well suited to the short growing season.

Managing Canada's boreal forest is a public affair

Most of Canada's forests are publicly owned. Weyerhaeuser licenses land from the government for periods of 20 to 25 years.

Although management of the boreal ultimately rests with provincial governments, industry and government partner to conduct research and develop forest-management plans. These plans are prepared in consultation with stakeholders such as aboriginal communities, tourist outfitters, trappers, anglers, and hunters. The goal is to find practices that let the forest thrive and satisfy community needs.

After producing lumber and paper for more than a century, 92 percent of Canadian land that was originally forested is still forested, more than in any other forested nation. Canada also has the largest area of protected forest in the world.

Fire is a dominant force in the boreal forest

The boreal forest is swept by frequent and large natural disturbances. These include insects and disease, but the primary force is fire, which regularly burns large areas.

Because fire is such a common feature, few stands reach 200 years in age. Trees in the boreal are nowhere near the size of their coastal counterparts. In fact, taiga—the term sometimes used by scientists to describe the boreal ecosystem-is a Russian word meaning "land of little sticks." In some areas, mature trees are often less than 6 inches (15 centimeters) in diameter. The larger trees, usually in southern areas around water, may reach up to 24 inches (60 centimeters) in diameter.

We harvest less than 1 percent

Weyerhaeuser strives to harvest in a way that emulates natural disturbances such as fire. For example, we leave variable edges and clumps of trees in harvested areas. We also leave buffer strips of trees along scenic routes and steams, lakes, and other water bodies. Our harvest in the boreal forest is typically one-half of 1 percent of the forest area we manage.

After harvest, we take three approaches to reforestation: planting seedlings, spreading seed, and leaving trees to drop seed or sprout from roots. For example, black spruce and jack pine will come back quickly from seed, while white spruce requires planting. Birch regenerates naturally with sprouts from the stump.

Wildlife are considered in forestry planning

Most bird and animal populations in the boreal forest thrive despite wildfires and timber harvests. Different creatures prefer different habitat. Some species move out of an area after fire or harvest, while those that prefer open areas move in. Wolves, red foxes, and elk are examples of animals that prefer forest clearings and shrub-covered areas.