Canada's Forests at a Crossroads : An Assessment in the Year 2000 (Global Forest Watch Reports)

Technological innovation can change the way we manage and protect our forests and environment. It provides us with the tools we need to get accurate and up-to-date information about forests, and other ecosystems, and it provides the means to make this information available to all those with a stake in natural resources. Until recently, there was little systematic knowledge about the conditions of the world's forests. Through this report our Canadian partners have documented that logging, mining, and other development that occurs throughout much of Canada's forests. The most diverse and productive forest ecosystems have undergone widespread fragmentation by roads and other access routes and have the bulk of their area under logging tenures. Canada is at a crossroads. Public sentiment and new government policies indicate an increasing commitment to managing forests not just for timber, but also for wildlife, recreational uses, cultural values, and other ecosystem services. However, changes on the ground have been slow.