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North America

The Ancient Forests of North America are extremely diverse. They include the boreal forest belt stretching between Newfoundland and Alaska, the coastal temperate rainforest of Alaska and Western Canada, and the myriad of residual pockets of temperate forest surviving in more remote regions.

Together, these forests store huge amounts of carbon, helping to stabilise climate change. They also provide a refuge for large mammals such as the grizzly bear, puma and grey wolf, which once ranged widely across the continent.

In Canada it is estimated that ancient forest provides habitat for about two-thirds of the country's 140,000 species of plants, animals and microorganisms. Many of these species are yet to be studied by science.

The Ancient Forests of North America also provide livelihoods for thousands of indigenous people, such as the Eyak and Chugach people of Southcentral Alaska, and the Hupa and Yurok of Northern California.

Of Canada's one million indigenous people (First Nation, Inuit and Métis), almost 80 percent live in reserves and communities in boreal or temperate forests, where historically the forest provided their food and shelter, and shaped their way of life.

Featured report:
Through the Trees - The truth behind logging in Canada (PDF)


On the Greenpeace Canada website:
Interactive map of Canada's Borel forest (Flash)
Fun animation that graphically illustrates the problem (Flash)

Weblog:
Defending America's Ancient Forests

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