CANADA'S FORESTS
What was your inspiration behind getting into photography?
Photography, for me, started as a way of simply documenting the places I was visiting. But as I spent more time in the wilderness, it became increasingly apparent that humans have become disconnected from the natural environment.
What inspires me to continue with photography is the opportunity to invite people to go back to the wilderness through my images and to be reminded of what the natural world adds to one's life.
Which forest is your personal favourite to take photography of?
I'm continually drawn to revisit the larch forests of the Canadian Rockies during "larch
Since 2004, Forests Ontario and its partners have developed the infrastructure needed to facilitate and track tree planting across Ontario from seed to successful forest — and we are the only charitable organization in Canada to have that ability.
To put it simply, we don’t just plant trees, we grow forests.
To date, we've planted 42 million trees across Canada, creating more than 20,500 hectares of new forests on over 8,000 sites. We also recognize the vital importance and function of grasslands, resulting in the addition of Grasslands Ontario to our organization in 2018.
Our efforts to increase, conserve, and maintain forests and grasslands help to clean the air we breathe and filter the water we drink while improving the biodiversity of our ecosystems and nurturing pollinator corridors. In fact, creating healthy new forests and grasslands is one of the most effective,
season" — a brief window when the needles of these deciduous conifers turn from green to gold. The phenomenon adds a fiery splash of colour to the landscape and provides a stunning contrast to our turquoise lakes. Capturing this fleeting phenomenon before the trees drop their needles adds an element of excitement and reminds me to appreciate nature's rhythms.
Why do you believe the concept of sustainable tourism is so important to follow?
I want my children and future generations to experience and be inspired by these landscapes. For instance, I want them to grow up seeing hanging glaciers on the Icefields Parkway here in the Rockies rather than bearing the consequences of the inaction of those who came before them. So I think sustainable tourism is crucial for fostering
a deeper connection to nature, which motivates people to protect it in return.
What time of the year do you prefer best to capture outdoor photography?
Each season has something magical, but I've always been drawn to winter photography. Between ice formations, frozen lakes, methane bubbles, ice caves, and more frequent northern lights displays, there's a lot that captures the imagination. I also find winter photography rewarding, given the unique set of challenges that it presents.
Where can we go to learn more about your work?
I invite those who wish to learn more about my work to visit my website zizka.ca, or connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
nature-based solutions we have in combating climate change impacts.
Working in collaboration with our professional network of partners, Forests Ontario is recognized for its unique ability to measure the success of the trees we plant. A 2021 study from Natural Resources Canada validated Forests Ontario’s successful afforestation outcomes, noting 83 per cent of the total hectares planted through our landmark 50 Million Tree Program is thriving, and will sequester significant amounts of carbon over the lifetime of these new forests.
To ensure our ability to keep planting the right tree, in the right place, and for the right reason, Forests Ontario has more than 200 million source-identified seeds in storage for future planting projects — a direct result of working closely with our network of certified seed collectors and nursery partners to forecast, collect, process, and store seed and monitor seedling health once planted. This
essential infrastructure, together with our expertise to track the success of the trees we plant, ensures a greener and healthier future for generations to come. While human activ ity has contributed to the greatest environmental challen ges we've ever faced, there's still time to do something about it, but we must act now. With a worldwide focus on sustainable solutions to climate change, we not only hope to inspire a healthy tomorrow for communities around the globe, but also contribute to real change, now.
Activities to Connect Kids to Forests
FHow UBC is Helping to Diversify Forestry in Canada
Diversifying the forestry profession can open doors to address changing local, national, and global needs and values.
Forestry experts a re sounding the alarm amid mounting pressures from climate change, human activity, and competition for ecological services. Many call for the diversification of forest management to tackle the challenges facing the industry and planet head-on.
The profession of forestry is dynamic, multifaceted, and interdisciplinary. A natural and social science, it’s well-positioned to provide solutions to the problems of carbon pollution and environmental degradation.
Sustainable forest management can ensure the long-term protection of habitats for animals, plants, and riparian ecosystems. Wood-based cellulose and lignin bioproducts can store carbon while providing viable alternatives to fossil fuel-derived products.
orests are renewable, reliable, regenerative, and restorative. They store carbon, help protect wildlife, and sustain communities by enabling diverse career opportunities and supporting mental and physical well-being. Forests provide environmental, social, and economic value and are a critical way to combat climate change.
But not everyone understands all the values they provide.
Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) offers forest-focused educational resources to help increase children’s and adults’ understanding of forests and the importance of sustainable forest management.
One example is PLT Canada’s free, bilingual Forest Literacy Framework, which helps provide tools and knowledge for the public and K-12 youth to keep our forests sustainable over the long term and ensure they're empowered to take actions that benefit forests and all of us. Readers will learn how forests can address climate change, help recover species at risk, provide renewable supply chains, lower rates of asthma and respiratory illness, sustain communities and economies, lower the temperature of urban heat islands, develop new medicines, and more.
Another new resource is PLT Canada’s Trillions of Trees, a guide for educators of youth in Grades 3 to 5 and ages 8 to 12. The three activities can be tailored to any setting and invite learners to investigate the unique characteristics of different tree species and discover how best to plan, plant, and care for trees in their community.
A more holistic approach to forestry is needed, and one that places greater emphasis on tailored solutions — such as community forests and selective harvesting — in response to evolving societal values and environmental conditions.
Moving forestry forward
The University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Forestry is at the forefront of innovative research, teaching, and community outreach that’s ushering in a new era of forestry. Each year, professors instruct over 1,500 students from over 40 countries in disciplines as diverse as urban forestry, tall wood frame buildings, geomatics, international forestry, conservation, and the bioeconomy, to name a few.
Graduates gain the necessary knowledge and skills to become future leaders in their profession. They also receive insights into the co-creation of knowledge with Indigenous Peoples, civil society, government, industry, and other community partners.
Equipped with a deeper understanding, they’re poised to become the next generation of land stewards. The stakes are high with the ongoing climate emergency. Well-informed and innovative minds are needed to push bold and sustainable solutions ahead for our planet.
Danika Strecko
Dr. Rob Kozak
Why do forests matter?
Danika Strecko Senior Education Manager, Project Learning Tree Canada
Dr. Rob Kozak Professor and Dean, UBC Forestry
Visit PLTCanada. org/shop to explore PLT Canada’s forest-focused education resources.
PLT Canada is an initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).
This article was sponsored by Sustainable Forestry Initiative
This article was sponsored by The University of British Columbia
Q&A with the Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson
Why was it important to create the 2 Billion Trees program?
The 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program focuses on permanently growing Canada's forest cover by an area twice the size of Prince Edward Island. The program will generate many long-term benefits such as restoring nature, enhancing biodiversity, creating forest ecosystems on fire-damaged land, increasing carbon capture, creating parks and greenspaces in and around cities, reducing community risk to natural disasters, creating green jobs, cleaning the air we breathe and the water we drink, and enhancing the well-being of Canadians for generations to come.
How does the 2 Billion Trees program reflect Indigenous values?
In aiming to respect nature and maximize the potential increase in biodiversity, the program is committed to planting the right trees in the right place and monitoring them to ensure their survival.
To achieve this momentous task, the 2BT program is investing up to $3.2 billion by 2031 in tree planting efforts across sectors and levels of government. The Indigenous Collaboration Working Group ensures effective approaches to working with Indigenous Peoples and reflects the government's commitment to reconciliation. Natural Resources Canada's (@NRCan) Natural Smart Climate Solutions Fund also works with Indigenous partners to streamline application and reporting processes, remove barriers to access funding, and co-develop an inclusive governance model for the Indigenous funding stream.
In its first planting season, the 2BT program partners planted approximately 29 million trees from over 150 species at over 500 sites across Canada. Nearly one in every five projects was Indigenous-led.
Greening Communities and Restoring Forests to Mitigate Climate Impacts
Tree Canada fights climate change through reforestation, afforestation, and urban greening programs.
Sabrina Seecharran
From extreme temperatures to more intense storms, climate change directly impacts communities across the country. As Canadians look for answers, trees represent a cost-effective natural solution to fight climate change and mitigate its impacts.
Tree Canada (TC) is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire, educate, and enable Canadians to plant and nurture trees to improve lives and address climate change.
Since 1992, TC has planted millions of trees across Canada. In 2021 alone, over 900,000 trees were planted as part of the National Greening Program, supported by corporate and individual donors, and the federal government’s 2 Billion Trees program. This mass seedling planting initiative focuses on areas with biodiversity and habitat loss, damaged waterways, or large open spaces with no previous tree cover.
But trees are as important in our cities as they're in the wilderness. As of 2021, 73.7 per cent of Canadians lived in large urban centres. Without adequate tree cover, the heat island effect makes urban areas hotter and reduces the social, psychological, and economic health of these communities. To increase urban green space, TC works with partners to provide Community Tree Grants and organize events like National Tree Day, which is happening on September 21 this year.
Protecting and investing in forests and greening urban areas are crucial to help build sustainable communities and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
For more information, visit the official government of Canada website to keep track of our fight against climate change.
Where can we learn more about what Canada is doing to overcome climate change and sustainability efforts?
The official government of Canada website is a great place to keep track of our fight against climate change. Minister Wilkinson and NRCan can also be followed on Twitter, who regularly post about the work our government is doing.
Forestry is all about people. As global society develops, so do the values that shape the stewardship of forests in Canada and abroad. With our changing climate, the global importance of managing Canada’s forests sustainably has never been greater. Forests are biodiversity reservoirs that sustain us in infinite ways. They clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, capture the carbon we use to build homes and mitigate the ever-growing consequences of climate change. The best carbon capture and storage technology to date is embodied in our world’s trees and forests.
Canada has almost 10 per cent of the world’s forests, the majority in the boreal zone where significant industrial forestry takes place. Moreover, we're the stewards of approximately 30 per cent of the world’s boreal forests. About 90 per cent of Canada’s forests are publicly owned and managed on behalf of all Canadians, necessitating co-operation among all levels of government, civil society, environmentalists, the forest industry, and the foresters who work in these sectors. Next-gen foresters stand tall in the ranks of tomorrow’s climate leaders.
The University of Toronto (U of T) has trained Canadian foresters since the inception of the Faculty of Forestry in 1907. Nowadays, the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at U of T continues this tradition, proudly boasting the Master
of Forest Conservation (MFC) program, one of only two professionally accredited master’s programs in forestry in the country, and hosting the global Institute of Forestry and Conservation. By law, professional foresters (RPFs) are forest management planners responsible for ensuring the continued sustainability of Canada’s vast, publicly owned Crown forests. With working experience,
our programs, today their diversity in background, age, and experience continues to grow, and we're extremely proud that women consistently represent almost two-thirds of our students.
But contemporary forestry goes well beyond stewardship of Canada’s hinterland forests. Canadians are becoming increasingly aware of the value of trees and green space in our cities. Urban forestry is now a well-established field, with growing public recognition of the ecosystem services and health benefits urban forests provide. Taught out of Canada’s largest metropolis, the Daniels Faculty’s forestry programs are uniquely positioned to train next-gen urban foresters. Forestry’s new home in the Faculty strategically aligns forestry students with researchers in the fields of landscape architecture, urban design, and visual studies at the school, recognizing just how interdisciplinary modern forestry has become. Add to that mix sustainable architecture — including innovations such as mass timber, the focus of the Mass Timber Institute at the Daniels Faculty — and a forestry education doesn’t get more well-rounded and responsive to the challenges of the future.
MFC grads are qualified to become RPFs and do their part on the front lines to conserve and protect Canadian forests.
The face of contemporary forestry in Canada is changing. While international students have always been an important part of
In the face of climate change, next-gen foresters will be leading the charge in terms of protecting carbon stores, climate change mitigation, and other adaptive solutions. Forests, in other words, need people. And we of course need forests. Join us!
Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson Minister of Natural Resources
Dr. Benjamin Kuttner, R.P.F., Assistant Professor, Institute of Forestry and Conservation, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto
Canada’s Forests Provide Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Change
Canadians from coast to coast to coast are invited to recognize National Forest Week (NFW) from September 18 to 24, 2022.
UMark Pearson
Executive Director of CIF-IFC
nder the theme Canada’s Forests: Solutions for a Changing Climate, NFW 2022 celebrates Canada’s diverse forests providing nature-based solutions for adapting to and mitigating changes in climate.
This one-week campaign, led by the Canadian Institute of Forestry/Institut forestier du Canada (CIF-IFC), highlights how forests help mitigate climate change by absorbing and storing greenhouse gases. In addition, trees soften the impact of extreme weather by moderating temperature and assisting in biodiversity protection. Canadian forests offer endless opportunities for adapting to and mitigating changes in climate, including sustainable forest practices, conservation, wood products, and innovative technologies.
“NFW provides a great avenue for us to relay the important message of how forests combat climate change,” says Mark Pearson, Executive Director of CIF-IFC. For NFW (September 18 to 24, 2022), the CIF-IFC is inviting Canadians to learn more about forestry and its significance to Canada’s culture, history, and future.
Visit cif-ifc.org to learn more about participating in #NationalForestWeek.
This article was sponsored by the Canadian Institute of Forestry
How Canadian Wood Council Is Building for the Future
As populations continue to grow and urban centres expand, it's imperative we meet our infrastructure needs sustainably. Through collaboration with the forest industry and design experts, we implement strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of our built environment.
The Canadian Wood Council and its programs create new opportunities for the use of sustainably sourced wood products, inspiring and assisting new and existing practitioners in developing expertise in wood design and construction.
Harvey’s Partners with Tree Canada for New Sustainability Initiative
From September 19, Harvey’s ‘Tree Size Your Sides’ promotion will keep Canada a beautiful thing by helping to plant trees.
Harvey’s has been proudly Canadian for over 60 years and is continuing its commitment to keeping Canada beautiful by announcing a new program celebrating National Forest Week (September 18–24) and National Tree Day (September 21).
From September 19, 2022, Harvey’s new “Tree Size Your Sides” promotion, in partnership with Tree Canada, will donate a portion of proceeds from any large side or drink towards planting 50,000 trees in Canada. Guests can also make an added $1 or $2 donation at all Harvey’s restaurants.
The Harvey’s team is thrilled to, again, celebrate its partnership with Tree Canada at National Tree Day tree planting events in every province across Canada. Harvey’s staff has been invited to join Tree Canada to plant trees on Wednesday, September 21 in locations across Canada including Edmonton, AB; Mississauga, ON; Montreal, QC and Saint John, NB.
“Our long-term partnership with Harvey’s means more trees will be planted to help us grow a better and more beautiful Canada,” said Gregory Hotte, Director of Development at Tree Canada. “We want to share our deepest gratitude for the generosity of Harvey’s and their guests for making Canada greener.”
Harvey’s objective for 2022 is to plant up to 50,000 trees in Canada, which is double last year’s goal, where it surpassed its target of
planting 25,000 trees by 30 per cent. Reaching this goal will offset up to 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, enough to compensate for all carbon emissions created from Harvey’s drive-throughs nationally for the entire year and all of its paper usage across Canada. As of September 2022, an estimated total of 7,800 tonnes of carbon emissions have been offset under this initiative.
Our long-term partnership with Harvey’s means more trees will be planted to help us grow a better and more beautiful Canada.
Harvey’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond its partnership with Tree Canada:
• Harvey’s has eliminated all plastic toys in kids’ meals by replacing them with its Grow a Plant activity pots, having distributed to over 679,000 kids across Canada to date.
• Harvey’s sustainable packaging has saved an average of 5,000 trees from being cut down and two million litres of water per year that would have been used to generate paper.
• Harvey’s has eliminated 26 million units of plastic straws, the use of an estimated 4.5 million units of non-recyclable paper containers, 1.5 million units of styrofoam cups, and more since 2019 that would have otherwise gone to landfills.
• Since 2020, Harvey’s has eliminated 200,000 units of non-recyclable black plastic clamshells by switching to recyclable clamshells made from 100 per cent recycled water bottles.
• Products are sourced from Canadian farmers wherever possible to reduce their impact on the environment.
“Harvey’s franchisees and staff are excited to take part in National Tree Day and plant trees with our partner Tree Canada,” said David Colebrook, Group President. “Sustainability is a key priority for Harvey’s ensuring we do our part in keeping Canada a beautiful thing.”
Through this long-term partnership with Tree Canada, Harvey’s plans to plant 250,000 trees by 2026 to compensate for an estimated total of 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Supporting Canada’s Forests for a More Sustainable Future
Ou r forests have been an important part of Canada’s history, and they will play a vital role in our future as well. Trees provide us with oxygen, sequester carbon, stabilize the soil, and provide homes to the world’s wildlife. Forests are integral to our ecosystem, our livelihood, and the cultures of the people who live in and around them. Wood products, particularly building products, will play an important role in creating a more sustainable, lower-emissions society.
Sustainable forestry supports our economy, the global ecosystem, and long-term sustainability. Organizations like Tolko — family owned and operated from the BC Interior since 1956 and with more than 2,500 employees across Western Canada — are building the sustainable and responsible forestry industry of the future.
Forestry is at the heart of a lower carbon future
Most are aware of the importance of trees in the carbon lifecycle, but Canada’s forest products sector also plays a critical role in our collective fight against climate change. Using wood as the primary material in building construction has several advantages as the world seeks to reduce carbon emissions.
Not only is wood natural and renewable, lumber and wood frame buildings serve as carbon sinks. One square metre of wood wall studs stores the equivalent of 16.7 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2). The equivalent amount of steel emits 18.0 kg of CO2 during its production while concrete emits 27.5 kg of CO2 Expanded across the wood products sector, the carbon benefits are enormous.
Beyond traditional wood products, mass timber is an innovation that has the potential to dramatically expand the benefits of building with wood. With mass timber, there's an opportunity to use a sustainable wood product in a host of building types, supplanting the need for more carbon intensive alternatives. Mass timber construction can also be completed 25 per cent faster, reducing carbon pollution during construction by up to 45 per cent, and requires less energy to heat and cool long-term. In addition to creating more sustainably built communities, using wood more in construction would provide numerous economic benefits, including creating 50,000 new jobs between 2018 and 2028 in the manufacturing, design, and construction sectors. It would also add $7.5 billion worth of economic activity through the construction of 900 new commercial, residential, and institutional mass timber wood buildings in Canada.
The forest products industry is also working to reduce emissions from its operations. By
2030, the sector plans to pull 30 megatonnes of CO2 out of the atmosphere annually — the equivalent of taking nine million cars off the road. Innovation in the sector can also grow our green economy, creating green jobs and accelerating our country’s transition to a netzero future by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and building more sustainable communities.
Canada’s forest sector is also exploring new ways to solve the challenge of delivering secure, affordable, and sustainable energy like wood bioenergy using clean technologies. Today, nearly 60 per cent of the sector runs on bioenergy. By converting wood chips, sawdust, and bark — which might otherwise be considered wood waste — into bioenergy, the sector has created a low-carbon energy source to power its operations and reduce emissions. That same technology has the potential to help Canada’s remote communities generate reliable energy while reducing their reliance on fossil fuels.
Towards Indigenous reconciliation
The nature of our operations brings most forest products companies into close collaboration with Indigenous groups. Tolko has a long track record of productive work with Indigenous partners and recognizes the vital role Indigenous stewardship plays in managing Canada’s forests. We are eager to move forward toward reconciliation, with significantly increased Indigenous participation in forestry. This is
Forests are integral to our ecosystem, our livelihood, and the cultures of the people who live in and around them.
a shared objective of governments, industry, and Indigenous Peoples, and will require collaboration, creativity, resources, and an ongoing commitment. Tolko is proud to work with companies like Ntityix Resources LP, a Westbank First Nation business and longtime leader in Indigenous stewardship that uses their 7 Generation Plan to guide management decisions regarding wildfire and water
stewardship, as well as culturally import ant plants and animals, and providing economic development opportunities through timber harvesting for Tolko.
The importance of good stewardship T he foundation of our industry will always be the health of our trees. Sustain able harvesting contributes to both forest health and wildfire prevention. In the face of climate change and related issues like intensifying fire seasons, there has never been a greater need for responsible forest management. In many areas of Canada, the allowable harvest has been reduced, partially in recognition of these issues. As an industry, we are heavily invested in reforestation. Tolko alone plants more than 30 million trees annually, and each year our facilities produce enough seed to grow nine million spruce and 4.4 million lodgepole pine seedlings. Our nursery facility also grows a wide variety of other tree types, producing some six million seedlings each year.
The commitment to responsibility extends to all aspects of the forest management system. Not only is Canada home to some of the world’s most robust and well-enforced forestry regulations, we also lead the world in third-party forest certification. Through these standards, Canada’s registered professional foresters ensure our forests can be more resilient, adapt to future climate conditions, and continue to serve as the ultimate renewable resource.
An industry of the future
While forestry is a part of Canada’s heritage, it is very much an industry focused on the future. We are encouraged by steps like the 2 Billion Trees initiative and the increasing recognition of the importance of trees to life on Earth. Our industry’s 230,000 workers will continue to be on the front lines of sustainability as we continue to invest in forest health. Further product innovations will deliver the environmental and economic value of wood to more areas of modern life. And forest products will continue to be a major manufacturing segment, creating good jobs in rural communities across the country. Our industry is at the centre of several themes that will help define Canada’s future, and we are energized by the opportunities ahead.
Tolko Industries Ltd.
Canada’s forestry sector is supporting a more sustainable future and helping Canada reach its climate targets.
Janis Simpkins VP Indigenous & Government Relations