Boreal Forest
Stretching across the top of the world, the Boreal forms a green halo (or crown) across the globe. In Canada, the Boreal is an incredible landscape of lakes, rivers, and coniferous forests of spruce, fir, and pine interspersed with stands of poplar and birch.
Named after Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind, the vast sweep of Boreal forests that crown the Earth’s northern hemisphere are among the largest tracts of intact forest left on our planet.
Canada’s Boreal forest supports bears, wolves, bison, and highly threatened herds of woodland caribou. The Boreal sustains human communities as far as it stretches.
Over 70 percent of Indigenous communities in Canada are located in forested regions.
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CANOPY’S BOREAL CONNECTION: THE BROADBACK FOREST
North America’s Boreal forest provides the largest supply of surface freshwater on earth. Its soils, trees, and peatlands are one of the largest storehouses of carbon on our planet.
Canopy’s Boreal work focuses on the Broadback Forest in Eeyou Istchee, the traditional territories of the Cree Nation in northern Quebec. Canopy supports the Cree Nation government's vision to protect and conserve 50% of these lands, which are integral to Cree cultural practices and way of life and rich in biodiversity. The Broadback Forest itself connects two protected areas within Eeyou Itschee that are crucial for keystone species like caribou.
We are proud that over the years, and at Canopy's urging, more than 25 companies with headquarters in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia have conveyed to the Québec Government their strong support for the complete protection of the outstanding area in the Broadback.
Roughly 39,000 km2, or 4 million hectares, have been set aside for protection, an area equivalent to the size of Switzerland.
The Cree Nation's vision for Eeyou Istchee emphasizes sustainable development, cultural preservation, and environmental stewardship. This vision is laid out in the Eeyou Istchee Baie-James Regional Plan, which focuses on the integration of traditional knowledge with modern governance to ensure that development aligns with Cree values and priorities. According to the Cree Nation Government, approximately 80% of Eeyou Istchee is under the jurisdiction of the Cree, reinforcing their commitment to managing resources sustainably and protecting their ancestral lands (Cree Nation Government, 2018).
In pursuit of this vision, the Cree Nation aims to enhance socio-economic conditions by promoting local businesses and fostering education and employment opportunities. The Cree have also launched initiatives to address climate change and biodiversity loss, focusing on land use planning that respects traditional practices while facilitating responsible resource extraction. This holistic approach not only aims to improve community well-being but also seeks to preserve the unique ecological and cultural landscape of Eeyou Istchee for future generations.
Northern Wonders:
The woodland caribou, native to North America's Boreal forests, depends on these vast forests for its survival. Relying on the Boreal ecosystem for food, migration, and calving, the woodland caribou’s survival is closely tied to the health of these forests.
