BC’s ForestsUnit 1: Human Geography Ms. Thind

Why are forests important?

Emits O2 and Co2 sink

Biodiversity of life forms

Provides shelter

Employment and revenue

Why are the world’s forests at risk?

Increasing industrial and population growth clear cutting for housing, recreation, and agriculture.

Why are BC’s forests at risk?

Population growth

Urban development

Resource extraction

Climate change: hot/dry summers and mild winters increased pine beetle infestation.

Species affected: Spirit Bear

Logging of old growth trees have removed close to 70% of dens.

Logging roads easier access to remote areas for illegal poachers.

Logging roads fracture feeding area.

Logging landslides increased silt content in rivers and streams diminishes salmon spawning grounds lack of food.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IRxdk6m17s

Species affected: Sockeye Salmon

Forests hold together soil and rock and stabilizes stream channels clearing creates more run off into ocean and diminishing spawning habitat.

Increased sediment in streams

Increased landslides

Loss of canopy increased absorption of light increased temperatures.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSEViHSb8mE

Case Study: Sawmill Explosions

January 2012: Babins Forest Products in Burns Lake killed 2 and injured 19.

April 2012: Lakeland Mills in Prince George killed 1 and injured a further 24.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRt8-EWbRDs

Why?

Fuel + Explosive agent + Dust + confined space + Oxygen.

Connection between pine beetle and these explosions:

close to 70% of the wood supplied was pine beetle infested dust produced does contains less moisture than healthy trees can catch on fire easier.

Effects of deforestation • Destruction of

habitat loss of animal and plant species

• Less fertile due to lack of humus soil no regrowth soil erosion

• Soil erosion more surface runoff and flooding

• Barriers to fish spawning

• Silt washes in from logging and urbanization washes away fish eggs

• Lack of trees to absorb co2 and produce o2 global warming