While our forests have a critical role to play in our collective fight against climate change, they are also affected by it. With the projected rate of climate change expected to be 10 to 100 times faster than the ability of our forests to adapt naturally, and given the critical role they play as both a carbon sink and a critical driver of a greener economy, we need to be working with nature to future-proof our forests and help them adapt to changing climate conditions.

Canada’s forest sector is doing just that. Our certified professional foresters develop comprehensive 150-200 year sustainable forest management plans for our forests, approved by provincial governments and guided by world-leading sustainable practices. These plans not only consider what was there before, and what species of trees native to a particular area will keep our forests healthy and thriving long-term, but how we can regenerate harvested areas with trees that are better adapted to warming temperatures and future climate conditions, better protecting our forests against fire, pests and disease and preserving their capacity to absorb and sequester carbon. And because Canada leads the world in third party sustainable forest certification standards, Canadians can be assured that this adaptation includes commitments to reforestation, promoting wildlife habitats, maintaining biodiversity and the water & soil protection that will help keep our forests as forests forever.