Boreal Forest Exhibit

The Boreal Forest is Canada’s largest ecosystem. In this biome, the Boreal Forest is made up of many different tree species, like pine, spruce, birch, and poplar, the Boreal region also includes thousands of lakes, rivers, wetlands, and naturally treeless areas.  It covers almost 60% of Canada and contains 14% of the Canadian population. More than 150 separate bird species call the forests home, in addition to being the natural habitat of many more animals, fauna, insects and micro-organisms. The natural resources in our region, from thick-furred animals to fish to trees, shaped the growth of our communities.

Worldwide the Boreal Forest covers 1.9 billion hectares and represents 33% of the world’s forested area. The yearly cycle of forest fires, as well as logging, plays a role in the age of the forests. They’re not as ‘ancient’ as people think! Many of the trees are quite young and continuously renews itself. It’s immense size means that the forest playas a vital role in maintaining the world’s ecological balance and biodiversity.