Protection will help forests survive climate change: CPAWS responds to study

Ottawa –The protection of boreal forests is one of the most effective management strategies for conserving biodiversity and maintaining the forest’s global role in carbon cycling.  So says a report released yesterday by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), which finds that the World’s forests will suffer significant adverse impacts from climate change.  The report is called “Adaptation of Forests and People to Climate Change – A Global Assessment.”

Based on this finding, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is calling upon federal, provincial and territorial governments in Canada to prioritize large-scale protection of primary forests and other intact ecosystems as a key plank in climate change strategies.  

“This study shows that climate change is threatening many of the values of our forests including biodiversity and carbon storage,” said Chris Henschel, a spokesperson for CPAWS.  “The combined threats of climate change and continued industrial expansion into the northern wilderness could overwhelm the forest’s ability to sustain these values.”

In addition to predicting the impacts of climate change on forests, the report also explored the effectiveness of various management techniques to help forests adapt to changing conditions.  The report found that protecting primary boreal forests is an effective tool to conserve biodiversity. There is also much scientific agreement that reducing forest degradation and deforestation is an effective method of adapting to increased emissions from forests.

“These types of precautionary measures are the best ways to prepare for drastic climate-induced changes in our forests,” says Henschel  

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Contact:
Chris Henschel
(613) 569-7226 x 220 (office)
(613) 265-5380 (mobile)