What Is So Important about the Boreal Forest? Caring for Creation ~ December 10 2024

What Is So Important about the Boreal Forest … ?

Oxygen, Oxygen, Oxygen … !!!

The boreal forest, also known as the Taiga, is the world’s largest land biome and is characterized by coniferous forests.  The boreal forest is an “old growth forest” in most areas.  It is dominated by coniferous trees like pines, spruces, and firs.  Some broadleaf species like poplar and birch also grow there. 

A biome is a large geographical area characterized by a specific climate and dominant plant and animal life.  This means that regions with similar environmental conditions, like temperature, precipitation, and soil type, will have similar ecosystems and communities of living organisms, like deserts, grasslands, rainforests, and tundras.  So, the Boreal Forest is the world’s largest Biome!

Canada's boreal forest covers approximately 1.2 billion acres (485 million hectares).  It is the world's largest intact forest ecosystem, stretching across northern Canada from the Yukon to Newfoundland and Labrador!  The entire boreal forest is found in the northern high-latitude regions, mostly between 50 degrees North and 65 degrees North.  It covers areas in Canada, China, Finland, Japan, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States.

According to available information, Canada's boreal forest processes an estimated 113 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, which is equivalent to the emissions from roughly 24 million passenger vehicles!

The boreal forest is dominated by coniferous trees that are well adapted to thin, nutrient-poor soils.  So, the coniferous do better than the deciduous trees with broad green leaves.  Because conifers are evolutionarily older than broad-leaved deciduous trees, they usually do better in these soils with fewer nutrients. 

Broad-leaved deciduous trees generally will out-compete conifers if they have more favorable soil and weather conditions.  So this relegates conifers to areas with sub-prime conditions like the north.  For some reason, conifers thrive in these challenging situations.  Because they don’t lose their leaves like deciduous trees, conifers, also known as evergreens, keep their leaves all year.  This increases the amount of time they have for photosynthesis!  

 

This means there is more time for photosynthesis!  So, more O2 (Oxygen) is released back into our atmosphere and more Carbon is removed from the atmosphere.  Removing Carbon from our atmosphere by breaking down carbon dioxide is essential for the continued health of our planet as well as All Human Beings and All Creatures Great and Small!

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, our cars, trucks, planes, factories, refineries, as well as small engine equipment like motorcycles, leaf blowers, lawnmowers, etc. have steadily increased the amount of CO2 in our atmosphere !!!  Before the Industrial Revolution got rolling, there were 275 parts per million (ppm) in the atmosphere.  Now there is approximately 415 ppm in our atmosphere!  That is 50% higher than the “pre-industrial” levels of Carbon Dioxide!

In addition to that, we have been chopping down trees and clearing land at an alarming rate!  Unfortunately, Canada has been cutting down its forests at an alarming rate which is one of the highest rates of forest destruction in the world.  Much of the wood from this priceless forest is getting turned into toilet paper and other paper products.  

Every year, Canada clear-cuts at least one million acres of boreal forest, the equivalent of seven NHL hockey rinks per minute. From 2001 to 2017, Canada lost nearly 40 million hectares of forest !!!  This released huge amounts of carbon into the atmosphere which were equivalent to the annual emissions of nearly 321 million cars !!!

So, what can we do besides calling all our friends and relatives in Canada to make sure they are messaging their government?

We can protect all the trees in our neighborhoods and communities.  We can work with responsible and reliable Forestry Projects to plant more trees and make sure they survive to a ripe old age.  The Arbor Day Foundation is recognized as one of the most reliable and responsible organizations for planting Trees and making sure the Trees survive.  They have planted and continue to care for more than One Billion Trees worldwide!  Here is a link to their website Arbor Day Foundation .  

If you want to plant trees on your property, check with the Georgia Native Plant Society.  They are a great resource.  They are also all volunteers, so it may take a few days for them to get back to you.  But, they will … !!!  And, they are tremendously helpful !!!

Have a Wonderful Week and enjoy all the fresh air in your neighborhood.