The Canadian boreal forest

The Canadian boreal forest has one of the best preserved ecosystems in the world. Endowed with a rich and unequaled biodiversity, it currently constitutes 28 % of the world's intact forests. The boreal zone also plays an essential role in Canada's economy, since it contains abundant natural resources, thus creating thousands of jobs. Between conservation, tourism and economy, here is what you need to know about the Canadian boreal forest.

The boreal forest of Canada, also known as the blue forest and the boreal zone of North America, is a territory that extends over more than 1000 km. Famous for its ecosystem dotted with lakes, rivers and wetlands, Canada's boreal forest stretches from the Yukon to northern British Columbia, including Newfoundland and Labrador.

This forest area is home to around a hundred species of trees. It is mainly made up of spruce, pine, tamarack and fir. It also has a large reserve of fresh water. Currently about 10 % of Canada's boreal forest is under legal protection from resource exploitation processes. Canada's boreal forest is also home to the largest freshwater lake on the planet, Lake Superior. In addition, there is Great Bear Lake, considered the purest source of water in the world, without traces of eutrophication and contamination. Finally, the presence of the St. Lawrence Basin, the Mackenzie River Basin, the Yukon River Basin, James Bay, and Hudson Bay make the Canadian boreal zone a majestic territory.

Canada enjoys a very significant cultural diversity. You should know that 70 % of the country's indigenous peoples live in the forest regions. For centuries, this community has greatly contributed to the preservation of the region.

The Aboriginal population of the Canadian boreal region is formed by the First Nations community, the Métis group and the Inuit people. Today, the "Native Canadians" are spread across the four corners of the blue forest and generally live from what nature offers them. In fact, according to the habits and customs, the natives live mainly from hunting and fishing. Freshwater fish remain the staple food of this community.

Canada's boreal forest has the richest water resource on the planet. It provides essential ecosystem services for indigenous populations and communities, but also for animals. Indeed, purity is in the spotlight through the many water networks in the area. This is mainly due to a low level of man-made pollutants. It is good to note that among the 50 largest rivers in the world, 10 % of them are located in the Canadian boreal zone.

The Canadian boreal forest concentrates many undammed watercourses. These feed several oceans, contributing directly to the well-being of the world's population. One thing leading to another, the eco-services offered by Canada's boreal zone have a considerable impact on environmental protection. Indeed, the extensive network of large lakes and wetlands in the boreal forest effectively reduces the effects of global warming. In addition, sediments stored in blue forest lakes and deltas produce the world's largest amount of terrestrial carbon.

With an area of 270 million hectares, the Canadian boreal forest has a perfectly preserved biodiversity. It is home to countless wildlife species including:

• More than 300 species of birds: Canada's boreal forest is essential to the survival of land, shore and water birds in North America. According to estimates by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, nearly 3 billion birds breed there each year;
• More than 80 species of mammals: Canada's boreal region is a natural refuge where many animals live in the wild, such as wood bison, elk, black bear, elk, Canada lynx, wolf, beaver, red squirrel and snowshoe hare;
• Many populations of reptiles and amphibians: there are several species of amphibians such as the frog and the salamander as well as many varieties of reptiles like lizards, turtles and snakes.
• 130 species of fish: the great lakes of the Canadian boreal forest are inhabited by different species of fish such as pike, burbot, yellow perch and walleye.

Moreover, the Canadian boreal forest is the territory of the woodland caribou, the country's national emblem. These deer live mainly in herds.

If it represents a territory rich in natural resources, the boreal forest also has enormous tourist assets. This type of activity contributes greatly to Canada's economy, in particular thanks to the development of maritime transport in the region. The development of tourism in the boreal forest is therefore a major issue, since it promotes job creation for both Canadians and the Aboriginal population.

The Canadian economy is largely based on the rational exploitation of natural resources. Wood-based products (building materials, paper, furniture, etc.), essential to the daily lives of Canadians, come mainly from the boreal forest. The private sector is therefore omnipresent in the boreal region. Many mining, gas and oil companies contribute greatly to the creation of direct or indirect jobs. Indeed, extractive industries have been active in the region for more than 200 years. The same is true for pharmaceutical companies that produce drugs from boreal plants. Thus, more than 900,000 jobs were created in 2004 thanks to economic activities in the boreal forest. In the same year, exports contributed nearly $20 billion to Canadian GDP.

The Canadian boreal forest is difficult to access by land, due to the strong presence of forested swamps and marshes. Despite the presence of certain practicable circuits, the Aboriginal community of the boreal region travels essentially by sea, particularly via the waterways of the St. Lawrence and the Mackenzie River. Indeed, the boreal forest is crossed by interconnected lakes as well as a particularly vast network of rivers. The supply of food and equipment is thus facilitated. Maritime transport is therefore the main means of transport to access Canada's boreal forest. You can get there in different ways: by boat, seaplane and other modern watercraft. In any case, a unique experience awaits you.