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Reforestation is the re-establishment of existing forests and woodlands that have been harvested or burned, with native tree stock, using planting, seeding or natural regeneration techniques.
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Less than one percent of the boreal forest is harvested annually. For every tree harvested, two more are regrown to replace them. In Alberta that adds up to approximately 82 million seedlings planted in the boreal forest annually.
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Yes. Alberta forest product companies also protect large areas of old growth forests, and strive for excellence in old growth forest management.
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During a harvest some animals may be displaced until harvesting is finished. After the harvest habitat is created for small mammals, which tend to move back into a harvested area rather quickly. Depending on their habitat requirements, other animals move back at various stages of regeneration.
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No. The Boreal forest is one of the largest and most resilient ecosystems on the planet. It has survived millennia of fire disturbance. The largest threat currently facing the boreal ecosystem is climate change.
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Most people know that trees are used for building materials and paper products. What you may not know is that forest products are used in over 5,000 things that you use every day. Since forests are a renewable resource, products that are made from trees are more sustainable and environmentally friendly than materials made from oil and gas, like plastics.
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There are a wide variety of careers in forestry. In operations, there are many jobs, including machine operators, tree planters and construction workers. In planning and woodlands there are foresters, scientists and forest technicians who plan all aspects of forest harvesting and renewal, measure trees and provide monitoring of forest values. There are also many jobs in the transportation of timber and in the sawmills and lumberyards, including mill workers, forklift operators and engineers.
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Integrated Land Management means that all of the natural resource sectors (mining, forestry, oil and gas, tourism) work together to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources. The forest benefits from ILM because all of the forest uses are accounted for, and cooperation leads to increased monitoring and understanding of forest values.
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It takes between 5 and 10 years to plan for harvesting. Planning involves many different steps that must be followed before the plan is eventually implemented and the first tree is cut.
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Following harvesting activities, forest companies employ detailed silviculture plans to guide the reforestation of harvested areas. Silviculture plans may incorporate site preparation, planting and stand tending activities to produce a healthy, well-stocked forest. Following establishment, these young forests are monitored regularly until they satisfy the provincial Regeneration Standards. Once the Regeneration Standards have been met, the new forest is deemed “free-to-grow”, meaning the tree species, stocking and height are sufficient to allow it to grow into a well-stocked, mature forest.
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Forestry companies use several different methods to protect lakes and streams. Buffers (do not cut around lakes and streams) are used to prevent erosion and advanced methods in building roads, bridges and culverts help to protect water quality. Forest companies also invest a large amount of money in research that is constantly improving our knowledge of lakes and streams as well as improving water quality.
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Forest companies are required to comply with forestry regulations that are set out by the provincial government. Most forestry companies also seek third party certification of their forestry practices and products to voluntarily demonstrate to the public that their forestry practices are sustainable. Forest companies also utilize extensive networks of permanent sample plots to monitor forest growth rates over time and ensure that harvest levels are sustainable.
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