THE STATE OF SASKATCHEWAN'S BOREAL FOREST

Over half of Saskatchewan is boreal forest ecosystem. Saskatchewan's southern-most forests have been significantly impacted by agriculture, logging, road building and other development. Further north however, nature on the Canadian Shield is less disturbed and carries on as it has for millennia. While much of Saskatchewan's forest is pristine and healthy, very little is protected from advancing developments such as industrial forestry, mining and hydro dams.

On September 15, 2003, Global Forest Watch Canada (GFWC) released a new report Canada's Large Intact Forest Landscapes. The report is the culmination of three years of mapping research and interpretation that show Canada's remaining large intact forest landscapes. Intact forest landscapes are those that retain ecological integrity and remain un-fragmented by development activities such as logging.

The good news for Saskatchewan is that we have one of the highest percentages (74%) of intact forest in Canada. Only Newfoundland and Labrador have more, at 84%, while the average for all of Canada is 60%. In Saskatchewan, these intact forests all occur in our forest, mainly north of the Churchill River.

The bad news is also outlined in GFWC's report. It explains why we should worry about the future of our forests. Industries are expanding, yet only about 5% of Saskatchewan's forest is within designated protected areas. This level of protection contrasts significantly with recommendations from Canada's Senate Report on Forests (1999) who call for at least 20% of Canada's boreal forest to be protected. The Boreal Forest Conservation Framework, developed and endorsed by eleven leading organizations representing conservation groups, industry and First Nations (2003), calls for a balance between development and protection where at least 50% of the boreal forest is protected and the other 50% would support support sustainable communities by using world-leading ecosystem-based resource management practices and state-of-the-art stewardship practices.

The task to determine how much should be protected in Saskatchewan is ongoing. CPAWS is working with northern people, governments, industry and others to develop ecosystem-based land use plans that will investigate this question. Both science and indigenous knowledge perspectives are being used to interpret information and seek solutions.

The information in Canada's Large Intact Forest Landscapes is a warning to those of us who value wilderness, biodiversity and ecological integrity. We still have abundant natural areas in Saskatchewan, but the trend is clear. If we do not protect significant areas of our forest, they could silently slip away.

LEARN MORE:

State of the World's Boreal Forests Learn about what's happening to forests across the world.

State of Canada's Forests Learn about what's happening to forests in Canada.