Celebrating forests near and far
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/03/2021 (1707 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
In honour of World Wildlife Day, which was March 3 and its Forests and Livelihoods theme this year, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the forest ecosystems we have here in Manitoba.
Besides the scattered pockets of small broadleaf forests found here, Manitoba is also home to the boreal (or northern coniferous) forest, which covers more than three-quarters of the province. The area is larger than countries like Spain, Japan, or Sweden, as well as each U.S. state, aside from Texas and Alaska.
Our province’s section of the boreal forest is part of the larger Canadian Boreal region, which is the largest intact forest ecosystem on Earth at 1.2 billion acres (485,000 hectares). It’s also worth noting that Manitoba is the only Canadian province or territory that has four of the nation’s major boreal ecozones (Boreal Plains, Boreal Shield, Hudson Plains, and Taiga Shield).
Trees in the boreal forest usually include black spruce, which is most prevalent in lowland bogs and fens, as well as jack pine, white spruce, and poplar, which are found in upland areas. Other boreal features include muskeg (sphagnum moss), peat bogs, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
The boreal forest is an incredibly important space for many species, including boreal woodland caribou, wood buffalo, elk, moose, grizzly and black bears, wolves, beavers, snowshoe hares, Canada lynx, red squirrels, lemmings, voles, and an impressive number of birds.
Polar bears also have a less-well-known connection to the boreal forest, as each year hundreds of polar bear sows give birth to their cubs where the boreal forest and tundra meet.
Many of these species are considered threatened or at risk, owing to things such as climate change and habitat destruction.
And that brings us to the role humans play in the boreal forest.
We use this area for logging, mining, hydro electricity and tourism, all of which can have a negative impact on the forest.
Laws and other measures are in place that aim to protect the boreal forest and control its use, but we have to remain vigilant to ensure there’s an appropriate balance between resource extraction, recreational enjoyment, and conservation.
To learn more about human interactions with forests worldwide, visit www.wildlifeday.org and check out manitobawildlands.org for more information about Manitoba’s boreal forest and the creatures that call it home.
Melody Rogan is a community correspondent for Radisson. You can email her at preeneditorial@gmail.com
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