2011 is the International Year of Forests: how are YOU getting involved?

By Emma Cane

Photo: Min. of Natural Resources

The United Nations has declared 2011 as “International Year of Forests” in hopes of raising global awareness of sustainable forest management, conservation and the living legacy to be passed on to future generations. But what does that mean to us?

Over 1/6 of the world depends on forests for their livelihoods. Whether its work in the timber industry, pulp and paper, non-timber forest products, agrofroestry, or value-added forest products such as reclaimed wood furniture and building materials; the World Bank estimates that 1.6 billion people rely on forests to put food on their tables and even to make their tables they’re eating on. Additionally, the World Bank reports that roughly 300 million people live in forests: their survival challenged by the ever growing encroachment of urban areas. However for many of us who live in urban areas, forest resources are something that we take for granted and are disconnected from. Many Ontarians have not had the privilege to stand in awe among the vast Boreal Forests of the north; to experience the serenity of hiking for days in the quiet freshness of the woods. To explore forests is to take in the beauty of an ecosystem that defies human scales of time and place.

When you live in an urban area there seem to be more pressing environmental concerns: smog, climate change, toxic chemicals, rising food prices and freshwater scarcity (yes, Canadians subscribe to a myth of water abundance). It can be a stretch to advocate for the protection of forests when you don’t directly benefit from them. Forest conservation can also have mixed perspectives, especially when so many rely on them as a resource for wood or on the forest industry as their source of employment. One thing I can assure you: forest conservation and forestry are not mutually exclusive: as a renewable resource, humans can use wood for basic needs. They key to this balance is sustainable forest management.

Sustainable forest management means seeing forests as an ecosystem that has integrity and intrinsic value, and showing it respect by not taking more than can reasonably regenerate, and not squandering our share on useless products. It also means getting the most out of what we decide to take from the forest, and leaving large amounts of forests untouched for future generations. If you were alive in the 1990’s, you no doubt understand the devastating effects of deforestation that occurred in rainforests. They are not so distant: Canada’s Boreal Forest (Taiga in Europe) is a vast landscape fully comparable to the lush Amazon, the mysterious Congo or the remote Borneo. Canada holds 10% of the world’s forest cover, of which 93% is publicly owned as Crown land. This means that as a Canadian citizen, you have a right to participate in management decisions for our forests…surprised?

So to participate in 2011 as the International Year of Forests, here are a few things you can do to contribute to forest conservation.

Basic actions:

•  Refuse to purchase any paper product that is not from 100% recycled sources. The Forest Stewardship Council has great labelling program where you can search products here
•  “Double-use” your recycled paper before recycling it by using the back of the sheet.
•  Avoid the use of “excess” paper (even if its from 100% recycled)
•  Get rid of sticky notes, use your smartphone or email program to create reminder alerts.
•  Choose paperless billing and manage your accounts online. Printed receipts from ATMs waste the equivalent of 2 billion feet of paper per year.
•  Cancel your newspaper and phone books view them online.
•  Choose sustainable flooring from wood sources that regenerate quickly like bamboo and fibre board.
•  Buy furniture made with wood from sustainable sources: either certified by the FSC, reclaimed & rebuilt or second-hand (if you have the budget, get antiques!)
•  Support sustainable forestry and forest communities by choosing Canadian-grown wood that is harvested in accordance with FSC guidelines.
•  Forests are a source for wild berries, mushrooms, herbs and wild game (the so-called “non-timber” forest products): choose local, Canadian harvesters and support community-based land management.
•  Plant a native tree in your yard if you have one. Consult an arborist if you’re unsure of what species to plant or how to take care of it. In Toronto, LEAF is a great such resource.
•  If you don’t have a yard, join a local tree planting initiative.
•  Shameless plug: join Sierra Club Canada as a member. Contribute to the continued advocacy work we do in conservation and get involved as a volunteer. Contact me if you’re interested in developing a forest conservation campaign.

BIG KARMA actions:

• Organize an outing for yourself and your family or a group of friends to get outside and experience the Boreal Forest. Tread lightly, and try to adhere to the principles of leave no trace camping. Prepare to be amazed! Some Ontario parks in the Boreal forest: Severn River, Greenwater, Kopka, Quetico, Wabakimi, Sleeping Giant, Finlayson Point
• Are you a university student? Take a forestry course or attend a lecture. The Faculty of Forestry at the University of Toronto is a great learning resource for students to learn about forest conservation.
• Set up email alerts on the Environmental Bill of Rights Registry. The Ontario government has a responsibility to post all proposals for land development, mining, logging and environmental assessments to the public for a period of time before the project can move forward. Stay on top of these postings, submit your comments, go to the public meetings, organize your community and get heard.
• Pay it forward: teach your family and friends about conserving forest resources and encourage them to  also try Basic actions.