ACER TREEVIA Canada’s Forest & Climate Change Quiz

More info: Canada’s forests are classified based on ecozones (broad ecological areas), forest regions (large forested zones with similar traits—for example, boreal), forest composition (species grouped by genus), and plant hardiness zones (based on climate data—for example, the monthly mean of the daily maximum temperatures of the warmest month).

Source: https://natural-resources.canada.ca/forest-forestry/sustainable-forest-management/forest-classification

More info: Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing the carbon in their biomass through photosynthesis. At the same time they release oxygen—making trees vital for the air we breathe and for reducing greenhouse gases that drive climate change.

Source: https://www.nationalforests.org/blog/a-breath-of-fresh-air-how-trees-help-mitigate-climate-change

More info: Carbon sequestration is the process where forests absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it as carbon in trees, soil and other vegetation, making forests an essential natural climate solution.

Source: https://natural-resources.canada.ca/climate-change/forest-carbon

More info: A forest is considered a carbon sink when it removes more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis than it emits through natural processes like decay, fire, or deforestation.

Source: https://natural-resources.canada.ca/climate-change/forest-carbon

More info: The Montreal Process, established in 1994, brings together 12 countries from five of the world’s seven continents that together hold over 90% of the world’s temperate and boreal forests. Its main goal is to promote sustainable forest management through criteria and indicators that measure and monitor the health, conservation, and responsible use of forests.

Source: https://www.montreal-process.org/

More info: Mixed-species forests, whether urban, peri-urban or rural, are more climate resilient because they support greater biodiversity, which improves pest resistance, disease control, and adaptability to changing climate conditions. This also makes them more effective long-term carbon sinks helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Sources: https://greenmunicipalfund.ca/resources/factsheet-role-tree-diversity-strengthening-urban-forests, https://phys.org/news/2023-11-forests-multiple-tree-species-effective.html

More info: As temperatures rise, many tree species in Canada are expected to gradually move northward or to higher elevations, as they seek suitable climate conditions for continued survival. This shift could alter forest composition and affect wildlife habitats.

Source: https://natural-resources.canada.ca/climate-change/climate-change-impacts-forests/distribution-tree-species

More info: NFCMARS is a system developed by the Canadian Forest Service to measure and report on forest carbon stocks, changes in carbon stocks, and emissions of non-CO2 greenhouse gases in Canada’s managed forests. Canada’s forests, to help support Canada’s climate change mitigation and reporting commitments.

Source: https://natural-resources.canada.ca/climate-change/forest-carbon/canada-s-forest-carbon-reporting-system

More info: Launched in 2021, the 2 Billion Trees Program aims to plant two billion trees across Canada by 2031, with a focus on restoring and protecting biodiversity, restoring degraded ecosystems, and capturing carbon to mitigate climate change.

Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/campaign/2-billion-trees/2-billion-trees-program.html

More info: Assisted migration is the practice of planting tree species in (or moving animal species to) areas where they are expected to thrive under future climate conditions, with the goal of helping forests adapt to warming temperatures and shifting habitats.

Source: https://natural-resources.canada.ca/climate-change/climate-change-adaptation/assisted-migration

More info: Warmer cold seasons and longer warm seasons caused by climate change allow more insects, such as the mountain pine beetle and spruce budworm, to expand their populations, leading to more frequent and severe outbreaks that damage forest ecosystems.

Source: https://climateatlas.ca/forest-pests-and-climate-change

More info: Dead trees continue to provide habitat for wildlife, recycle nutrients back into the soil, and store carbon, making them an important part of healthy forest ecosystems.

Source: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/dead_trees_have_value_too

More info: Afforestation is the creation of new forest where there was none before, while reforestation is the restoration of a damaged or destroyed forest back to its former state. Both processes are critical to mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/campaign/2-billion-trees/2-billion-trees-program.html

More info: In recent years, wildfires have become the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions from Canada’s forests, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere thereby reducing their ability to act as carbon sinks.

Source: https://natural-resources.canada.ca/forest-forestry/wildland-fires/wildland-fire-forest-carbon-understanding-impacts-climate-change

More info: Rising temperatures and drier conditions caused by climate change are projected to increase both the frequency and severity of wildfires, especially in boreal forests, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions, loss of biodiversity, increased soil erosion and poorer air quality.

Source: https://natural-resources.canada.ca/forest-forestry/insects-disturbances/climate-change-fire, https://www.wri.org/insights/global-trends-forest-fires