Canada is home to some of the world's largest and most diverse forests, covering over 361 million hectares of land or about 9% of the world's total forested area. These forests are some of the most valuable climate change assets we have, serving as a critical carbon sink, in our collective fight against climate change. But how we manage them matters. 

As trees age, they not only gradually lose their carbon-absorbing benefits, but become more susceptible to fire, pest outbreaks and disease, natural disturbances that can release tremendous amounts of CO₂ and other GHGs back into the atmosphere. Though these disturbances are normal in the forest, they are becoming more frequent and severe as a result of climate change, turning our forests from climate change assets into liabilities. 

That’s where our sector comes in. When we manage our forests through carefully-planned harvesting and replanting, we not only remove the decay and debris that accelerate these climate emergencies but, because younger trees absorb carbon faster than mature ones, we renew our forests capacity to store carbon for another generation.

Learn more about the sustainable practices that helping our forests adapt to a changing climate and how we’re working with nature to maximize their carbon-storing potential.