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| Photo: Anonymous/RBC Blue Water Photo Contest |
A Forest of Blue: Canada’s Boreal
The lakes of Canada’s boreal forest slow the impacts of global warming. Are they under threat?
By the Pew Environment Group
Seen from above, Canada’s boreal
forest shimmers on a bright summer
day. Much of the surface … is comprised
of countless lakes, rivers and wetlands.
It is literally a forest of blue…. Stretching
across the continent, [it] is the most
intact forest remaining on Earth. It provides a vital bulwark against the
global loss of biodiversity, irreplaceable
food and cultural benefits to rural communities,
and slows the impacts of global
warming…. Superlatives abound: half
the world’s lakes larger than a square kilometre
in size; 10 of the world’s 50 largest
rivers; almost 200 million acres of surface
water; and the world’s single largest
remaining unpolluted fresh water body,
Great Bear Lake…. Unfortunately,
Canada’s boreal forest is increasingly
affected by large-scale industrial activities.
The rapidly expanding development
footprint already includes 728,000 square
kilometres impacted by forestry, road
building, mining, oil and gas extraction
and hydropower. If the water resources
of the forest of blue are to be conserved,
major policy changes will be needed.”
— From “A Forest of Blue: Canada’s
Boreal,” published in March by the Pew
Environment Group; for the full report, go
to www.pewenvironment.org.
June 2011 issue
