It is essential to keep healthy forests thriving

It is essential to keep healthy forests thriving. When forests, burn or decay, whether by old age, fire, insect attack or other disturbances, they release carbon into the atmosphere. Proactively managing forests with techniques like thinning stands helps to reduce the potential impacts of disturbances in the forest.

• “A forest is considered to be a carbon source if it releases more carbon than it absorbs. Forest carbon is released when trees burn or when they decay after death due to old age or wildfire, insect attack or other disturbance. Carbon as CO2 and methane (CH4) naturally occur in the atmosphere as regulators of climate. It is the increase of these gasses in the atmosphere that is causing climate change.”
  
  Reference: Forests: A Stabilizing Force for the Climate Webpage, Canadian Council of Forest Ministers Website
   
• “Improved Forest Management (IFM) is a set of practices aimed at enhancing the health, productivity, and resilience of forests. This approach focuses on sustainable forest management, optimizing the use of forest resources while minimizing negative environmental impacts. 
  
  Selective Logging: Harvesting specific trees to maintain forest health and structure.  
  
  Thinning: Removing smaller trees to promote the growth of larger, healthier trees.
  
  Prescribed Burning: Controlled burning of forest undergrowth to reduce the risk of wildfire and promote regeneration.
  
  Pest and Disease Control: Implementing measures to prevent and control outbreaks of pests and diseases.
  
  Reforestation and Afforestation: Planting trees to restore degraded forests and create new ones.”
  
  Reference: Reforestation, Afforestation and Improved Forest Management - ClimateTrade Academy
   
• “Disturbance is part of the natural cycle of the forest and most often helps the forest to renew itself. Disturbances are particularly important to the cycle of regeneration and regrowth in boreal forests. Fires, as well as insect and disease outbreaks, often occur on a large scale there, more so than in Canada’s temperate forests.” 
  
  Reference: Why forests need fires, insects and diseases - Natural Resources Canada