Our Forest Resources
Making Connections: Canada's Geography text book pages 279-294
Question to Think About...
How can we harvest the forests for products that we need, and at the same time protect the forest environment?
What Kinds of Trees Fill our Forests?
There are two types:
Commercial and Non-Commercial Forests
The Image below, taken from your textbook on page 280, shows Canada's commercial and non-commercial forests. The commercial forests are used to make a profit ($). These forests exist in the warmer, wetter areas of Canada where trees grow at a rapid rate! These forests also tend to be near roads, railways, and waterways. This is convenient for companies to ship the cut trees to markets in Canada and abroad. The non-commercial forests are unlikely to be cut down for industrial use. They exist on the northern fringes of the forest regions where temperatures and precipitation levels are too low to allow the trees to grow quickly. These forests are also too far north from Canadian and export markets to make the timber transportation costs economical
Canada's Commercial Forest Regions
There are five different regions in which most of Canada's Commercial forestry is located: the Boreal Forest region, the Taiga Forest region, the West Coast Forest region, the Montane Forest region, the Mixed Forest region. Complete the chart below of the different commercial forest regions.
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Logging Operations
There are several ways to harvest the trees in Canada's Forests.
The Clear Cutting MethodCutting all the trees in one area |
The Shelterwood Logging MethodClear-Cutting only a part of an old Growth Forest. Then small groups of seed-bearing trees are left standing so that their seeds will regenerate the logged area.
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The Selective Cutting MethodCutting only the mature trees in one area. The trees are cut based on a desired height, size, type and quality.
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ACTIVITY: A Forestry Debate
In groups of four or five:
You will research and brainstorm on one of the following six topics regarding Logging Operations. Following this research, the class will have a debate on Thursday March 28, 2013.
CRITERIA:
Try to Include the following in your poster:
You will research and brainstorm on one of the following six topics regarding Logging Operations. Following this research, the class will have a debate on Thursday March 28, 2013.
- Support for the Clear Cutting Method
- Opposed the Clear Cutting Method
- Support for the Shelterwood Logging Method
- Opposed the Shelterwood Logging Method
- Support for the Selective Cutting Method
- Opposed to the Selective Cutting Method
CRITERIA:
- Know your topic: use the text book to guide you
- come up with at least 5 key points/reasons
- complete the brainstorm chart, you will hand this part in
- Look up ONE example on the internet that is an example of this type of logging operation
- create a small poster that supports your side...it should catch someone's attention!
- Have some idea of what your opponent will argue, so that you can argue against their reasons.
- Be creative!
Try to Include the following in your poster:
- A unique title! (for example: Stop leaving the Animals Homeless! Clear Cutting has to Stop!)
- A picture and small description showing ONE reason in support of your cause (for example you could show how clear cutting is a bad method because all of the animals lose their homes).
- Make sure your spelling and grammar is correct
- Make it creative...and HAVE FUN!
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