The Urgent Need to Protect Canada's Forests
Consumers can help to protect Canada's forests by choosing responsibly sourced wood and paper products bearing the Forest Stewardship Council label.
Canada's vast forests, which cover nearly 400 million hectares, make up 10 per cent of the world's forests. Still, our national canopy is threatened and consistently at risk. Over the years, our tree cover has plummeted by 11 per cent, endangering biodiversity and exacerbating the climate crisis.
The news cycle demonstrates in real time our close relationship with forests, with wildfires in 2023 ravaging communities in British Columbia and Quebec, impacting air quality as far away as Toronto. At stake is the loss of diverse wildlife, Indigenous communities, and carbon storage, which helps in averting the climate crisis. Protecting our forests is a role that isn’t exclusive to activists or governments — it’s a role any consumer can take on, through their choices.
Stand for forests
Enter the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which works to protect animal habitats, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, workers’ rights, and areas of environmental or cultural importance.
The FSC does this by tracking fibre from certified forests along the entire supply chain all the way to the store — where consumers are then empowered to be part of the sustainability solution by selecting wood, paper, and other forest products bearing the FSC label.
Supported by leading environmental groups including WWF Canada and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), these labels provide consumers with an assurance that the products are made from responsible sources and have been verified to meet the FSC’S strict environmental and social standards.
This article was sponsored by the Forest Stewardship Council.
Take a stand for forests. Choose Fsc-certified products and join the movement toward a greener, more sustainable future. Visit shopfsc.ca for certified products or ca.fsc.org to learn more.