FOREST THREATS & SOLUTIONS

Saskatchewan's boreal forest is changing. Industrial developments are expanding across the forest, even into many of the once-remote areas of the province.

	Industrial Logging: Occurs mostly in the southern half of the forest (south of the Churchill River) where the trees are large and close to the mills.
	Oil and Gas: Seismic exploration activities for oil and gas infiltrate Saskatchewan's forest lands along the Saskatchewan/Alberta border.
	Mining: Exploration and developments are expanding in both southern and northern regions of the forest.

	Hydro-electric Dams: Are operating in various places including sites near Nipawin and Sandy Bay. New hydro projects are being considered. Learn about the potential impacts from hydro-electric projects.
	Roads: All of the above activities are bringing roads and fragmenting once-contiguous forest ecosystems.

There will always be activities like logging and mining. That is not the issue. Many people want and need those activities to create jobs and a future for their families and communities. The real issue is to establish a balance between sustainable commercial industry and environmental preservation. The balance needs to be founded on good information and cautious planning with the long term health of the land and of local communities kept in mind.

Saskatchewan is fortunate. We still have opportunity to protect pristine wilderness sites throughout much of the boreal forest. Protecting wilderness does not mean keeping people out. It means keeping industrial developments out of protected areas. Protected areas would be available forever, for uses like tourism operations, hunting, fishing, trapping, and camping.

CPAWS is working with many others to establish land use management plans that ensure that the health of the ecosystem in always considered and addressed. This type of planning is called ecosystem-based management.

LEARN MORE :

About Forests The Boreal Forest: Canada's Global Opportunity

State of the World's Boreal Forests What's happening to forests across the world, in Canada and in Saskatchewan.

Forest Ecology Saskatchewan's forests and the wildlife in them.

Birds in the Boreal Forest Species of songbirds are declining in our boreal forest.

Links Visit our boreal forest links.