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Ancient Forests Globally
Ancient forests, globally, are under siege. Of the world's original ancient forest cover, only 20% are still intact today. 70% of the world's remaining frontier forests are concentrated in three countries:
Frontier forests are "the world's remaining large intact natural forest ecosystems. These forests are relatively undisturbed and big enough to maintain all of their bio-diversity." For ecosystems like BC and Alberta these areas need to large enough to accommodate far ranging mammals such as the grizzly bear and the wolf (WRI).
IIn North America, 40 % of the remaining frontier forests are under medium to high threat. Outside of the boreal zone, 75% of the world's frontier forests are at risk. The primary threat to the world's and North America's ancient forests is industrial logging (WRI).
Functions of ancient forests
- Water purification and flow regulator.
- Storehouses for Bio-diversity – between 50-90% of the world's terrestrial species are housed in ancient forests.
- Provide habitat for wildlife and plants.
- Carbon storehouses
- Moderate global and local climate conditions.
- Source of medicinals, food and other staples.
- Home, hunting and gathering areas and spiritual places to many of the world's indigenous peoples.
- Economic resource for many communities who rely on tourism, logging, fisheries, wild foods.
- Recreation and relaxation.
Too much, too fast:
A rapacious market demand is driving the destruction of the world's ancient forests. Wood consumption is predicted to increase by 56% from 1993 quantities by 2010. Over-consumption impacts forests in all corners of the globe - in the Amazon, 13% of its 7 million square kilometers has been logged in the past 30 years, only 1% had been deforested in the previous 250 years. In British Columbia a staggering 71million cubic metres is logged every year - enough to fill logging trucks encircling the earth one and a quarter times.
The World's Forests - A Snapshot:
Only 5% of the original forest cover of the lower 48 states of the US remains intact. Most of the forest is fragmented and in isolated islands.
- 76 countries have lost all of their original forests, another 11 countries have less than 5% remaining.
- 6% of Asia's, 8% of Africa's and 0.3% of Europe's original forests remain.
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