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Poor quality article. I’d never use the National Observer as a source as they are very biased. The National Observer are a group of well meaning social justic

by dade_ 3y ago

Poor quality article. I’d never use the National Observer as a source as they are very biased. The National Observer are a group of well meaning social justice eco warriors that will gladly ignore any facts that don’t support their narrative, because they know they are correct. They do bring attention to otherwise ignored issues. However, the worst of the forest fires this year were in pristine untouched forests in areas experiencing extreme weather as predicted by scientists. Many were basically impossible to fight. https://www.npr.org/2023/07/21/1188618934/canada-wildfires-answers https://www.npr.org/2023/07/21/1188618934/canada-wildfires-a... ‘Canada is the second-largest country in the world, and almost half of that is forest," Barber said. "A lot of that forest is remote, untouched wilderness, and it's very difficult to manage wildfire in those areas where there is no road access or any of the infrastructure needed to support firefighting activity."’

myshpa 3y ago
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/canada-s-degradation-of-pristine-intact-forests-leads-world-1.2757138 https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/canada-s-degradation-of-pris... The satellite mapping analysis led by Peter Potapov, an associate professor of geographical sciences at the University of Maryland, showed that over 104 million hectares of the world's remaining intact forests — an area about the size of Ontario — were degraded between 2000 and 2013. Such forests are considered degraded when they are broken up or fragmented into smaller pieces that are no longer the same kind of ecosystem. Sizer called the amount of degradation a "shocking number." Canada accounts for 21% of global degradation "Canada is the country with the largest share of intact forest degradation in the world. It's No. 1 on the list," Sizer said. https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/people/partner-post-five-percent-of-canadas-pristine-forests-are-fragmented-or-degraded-affecting-up-to-six-endangered-species/ https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/people/partner-post-f... In Canada, logging is the single biggest driver. 60 percent of the degraded areas (129,487 km2) were inside of forest tenures allocated to companies for logging. Petroleum and natural gas development, including oil and gas facilities, pipelines, wells and seismic lines, was a distant but significant secondary driver, responsible for 6 percent (13,344 km2) of the reduction. https://theconversation.com/the-future-is-uncertain-for-our-last-old-growth-boreal-forests-201362 https://theconversation.com/the-future-is-uncertain-for-our-... The issue at stake is not so much the loss of forests, but rather, the loss of intact forests, i.e. forests where no harvesting activities have ever taken place. ... Canada ranks third in the world for the rate of loss of its intact forests. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, much of Canada’s intact boreal landscape consisted of forests that had not burned for centuries. These are often referred to as “old growth” forests. As far as the forester — whose main objective is to harvest wood — is concerned, allowing a forest to age amounts to a loss of wood. That’s because it is more efficient to cut forests early and frequently in order to take advantage of the strong growth of young trees. As a result, since the beginning of the industrial era, most harvesting of intact boreal forests has targeted old-growth forests with the objective of replacing them with younger forests. This drastically reduces the surface area and connectivity of old-growth forests. While they originally formed large continuous clumps, the old-growth forests that remain in managed areas now form small clusters separated from each other. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sfu-old-growth-forest-cut-paper-1.6604830 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sfu-old-grow... Logging industry targeted B.C. old-growth forests for more than a century, SFU study finds Ken Lertzman's paper shows between 1860 and 2016, 87 per cent of logging took place in old-growth forests https://news.mongabay.com/2022/09/british-columbia-delays-promised-protections-as-old-growth-keeps-falling/ https://news.mongabay.com/2022/09/british-columbia-delays-pr... In 2020, the NDP released optimistic estimates claiming that of BC’s 57.2 million hectares (221,000) square miles) of forest, some 23% (13.2 million hectares, or 51,000 square miles) of what was still standing was old growth. Using that same data, Price, Daust and Holt distinguished vulnerable, tall old growth in rich ecosystems from stunted, sparse old growth on rocky, alpine mountainsides and forest bogs in unproductive ecosystems. Their findings were alarming: Less than 1% of big treed old growth remained in BC as of two years ago, or roughly 400,000 hectares (1,544 square miles) scattered in ecosystem fragments along the province’s coast and interior.
- soared 3y ago
  How does an intact forest not burn for so long but a degraded forest burn to the extent we’ve seen now? It feels counterintuitive but I am not an expert.
  - myshpa 3y ago
    Wind can play a significant role in drying out the landscape and increasing the risk of wildfires, particularly in smaller and less complex forests. Here's how wind can contribute to the increased fire risk in these areas: Reduced Moisture Retention: In primeval forests with a diverse canopy and understory, vegetation layers can help retain moisture. This moisture can act as a natural barrier to fire spread. In smaller and less complex forests, where these moisture-retaining layers might be lacking, the absence of this protective moisture can make the forest more susceptible to ignition and rapid fire growth. Drying Effect: Wind can accelerate the evaporation of moisture from vegetation, soil, and other materials on the forest floor. In smaller and less complex forests, where there might be fewer layers of vegetation to provide shade and retain moisture, the drying effect of wind can be more pronounced. This makes the forest and its potential fuel sources more susceptible to ignition. Lack of Windbreaks: Primeval forests often have natural windbreaks created by the complex arrangement of trees and vegetation. These windbreaks can slow down the spread of fires by reducing the speed of the wind at ground level. In contrast, smaller and fragmented forests might lack these windbreaks, allowing the wind to move more freely and potentially fan the flames. Rapid Fire Spread: Wind can carry embers and sparks over longer distances, effectively "spotting" fires ahead of the main blaze. This can result in the rapid spread of fires, even across natural firebreaks like roads or rivers. In primeval forests with a more complex structure, the presence of various vegetation layers can impede the spread of embers, reducing the likelihood of spot fires. Increased Fire Intensity: Wind can cause fires to burn more intensely by supplying oxygen to the flames and by pushing the fire front faster. In smaller and more open forests, this increased intensity can lead to more destructive fires that burn hotter and spread more quickly. Drying of Fuels: Wind can accelerate the drying of dead leaves, branches, and other forest debris, making them more flammable. This increases the availability of fuel for fires, making ignition more likely and contributing to the intensity of the fire. Other aspects: Forest Structure: Unmanaged primeval forests have a more diverse and complex structure. They typically have a variety of plant species at different heights and stages of growth, creating a multi-layered canopy and understory. This complex structure can slow down the spread of fires by acting as barriers, reducing the availability of continuous fuels. Fuel Accumulation: In managed, degraded, and fragmented forests, human activities often lead to the accumulation of dead wood, dry leaves, and other combustible materials. These materials serve as fuel for fires, making it easier for flames to spread quickly. Monoculture Plantations: Some managed forests are composed of monoculture plantations, where a single species is planted in rows. Monocultures lack the biodiversity that primeval forests possess, which means that if the planted species is susceptible to fire, the entire plantation becomes highly vulnerable. Invasive Species: Degraded and fragmented forests are more prone to invasion by non-native, invasive plant species that can increase the fuel load and alter the fire dynamics. These invasive plants often have higher flammability and can spread fires more rapidly. Lack of Natural Disturbance: Primeval forests have evolved with natural disturbances like fires, which are often of lower intensity and occur in a mosaic pattern. These natural disturbances create breaks in fuel continuity and prevent large-scale, catastrophic fires. In contrast, fire suppression efforts in managed forests can lead to the accumulation of fuels and more intense fires when they do occur. Fragmentation: Fragmented forests have smaller, isolated patches of vegetation separated by non-forested areas. This can create pathways for fires to easily spread from one patch to another, as well as limit the ability of animals to move away from the fire, further exacerbating the spread. Human Activities: Human activities, such as logging, road construction, and agricultural expansion, can alter the natural landscape and increase the risk of fires. Roads can act as fire corridors, and logging can leave behind debris that acts as fuel. Fire Suppression: Ironically, fire suppression efforts in managed forests can lead to the accumulation of combustible materials over time. When fires are prevented from occurring naturally or are quickly suppressed, fuel loads increase, making future fires more intense and difficult to control. Climate Change: While not specific to managed forests, the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires can be exacerbated by climate change. Higher temperatures, prolonged droughts, and altered precipitation patterns can create conditions that make fires more likely to start and spread. - ChatGPT

by dade_ 3y ago

myshpa 3y ago

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/canada-s-degradation-of-pristine-intact-forests-leads-world-1.2757138 https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/canada-s-degradation-of-pris... The satellite mapping analysis led by Peter Potapov, an associate professor of geographical sciences at the University of Maryland, showed that over 104 million hectares of the world's remaining intact forests — an area about the size of Ontario — were degraded between 2000 and 2013. Such forests are considered degraded when they are broken up or fragmented into smaller pieces that are no longer the same kind of ecosystem. Sizer called the amount of degradation a "shocking number." Canada accounts for 21% of global degradation "Canada is the country with the largest share of intact forest degradation in the world. It's No. 1 on the list," Sizer said. https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/people/partner-post-five-percent-of-canadas-pristine-forests-are-fragmented-or-degraded-affecting-up-to-six-endangered-species/ https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/people/partner-post-f... In Canada, logging is the single biggest driver. 60 percent of the degraded areas (129,487 km2) were inside of forest tenures allocated to companies for logging. Petroleum and natural gas development, including oil and gas facilities, pipelines, wells and seismic lines, was a distant but significant secondary driver, responsible for 6 percent (13,344 km2) of the reduction. https://theconversation.com/the-future-is-uncertain-for-our-last-old-growth-boreal-forests-201362 https://theconversation.com/the-future-is-uncertain-for-our-... The issue at stake is not so much the loss of forests, but rather, the loss of intact forests, i.e. forests where no harvesting activities have ever taken place. ... Canada ranks third in the world for the rate of loss of its intact forests. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, much of Canada’s intact boreal landscape consisted of forests that had not burned for centuries. These are often referred to as “old growth” forests. As far as the forester — whose main objective is to harvest wood — is concerned, allowing a forest to age amounts to a loss of wood. That’s because it is more efficient to cut forests early and frequently in order to take advantage of the strong growth of young trees. As a result, since the beginning of the industrial era, most harvesting of intact boreal forests has targeted old-growth forests with the objective of replacing them with younger forests. This drastically reduces the surface area and connectivity of old-growth forests. While they originally formed large continuous clumps, the old-growth forests that remain in managed areas now form small clusters separated from each other. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sfu-old-growth-forest-cut-paper-1.6604830 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sfu-old-grow... Logging industry targeted B.C. old-growth forests for more than a century, SFU study finds Ken Lertzman's paper shows between 1860 and 2016, 87 per cent of logging took place in old-growth forests https://news.mongabay.com/2022/09/british-columbia-delays-promised-protections-as-old-growth-keeps-falling/ https://news.mongabay.com/2022/09/british-columbia-delays-pr... In 2020, the NDP released optimistic estimates claiming that of BC’s 57.2 million hectares (221,000) square miles) of forest, some 23% (13.2 million hectares, or 51,000 square miles) of what was still standing was old growth. Using that same data, Price, Daust and Holt distinguished vulnerable, tall old growth in rich ecosystems from stunted, sparse old growth on rocky, alpine mountainsides and forest bogs in unproductive ecosystems. Their findings were alarming: Less than 1% of big treed old growth remained in BC as of two years ago, or roughly 400,000 hectares (1,544 square miles) scattered in ecosystem fragments along the province’s coast and interior.

soared 3y ago
How does an intact forest not burn for so long but a degraded forest burn to the extent we’ve seen now? It feels counterintuitive but I am not an expert.
- myshpa 3y ago
  Wind can play a significant role in drying out the landscape and increasing the risk of wildfires, particularly in smaller and less complex forests. Here's how wind can contribute to the increased fire risk in these areas: Reduced Moisture Retention: In primeval forests with a diverse canopy and understory, vegetation layers can help retain moisture. This moisture can act as a natural barrier to fire spread. In smaller and less complex forests, where these moisture-retaining layers might be lacking, the absence of this protective moisture can make the forest more susceptible to ignition and rapid fire growth. Drying Effect: Wind can accelerate the evaporation of moisture from vegetation, soil, and other materials on the forest floor. In smaller and less complex forests, where there might be fewer layers of vegetation to provide shade and retain moisture, the drying effect of wind can be more pronounced. This makes the forest and its potential fuel sources more susceptible to ignition. Lack of Windbreaks: Primeval forests often have natural windbreaks created by the complex arrangement of trees and vegetation. These windbreaks can slow down the spread of fires by reducing the speed of the wind at ground level. In contrast, smaller and fragmented forests might lack these windbreaks, allowing the wind to move more freely and potentially fan the flames. Rapid Fire Spread: Wind can carry embers and sparks over longer distances, effectively "spotting" fires ahead of the main blaze. This can result in the rapid spread of fires, even across natural firebreaks like roads or rivers. In primeval forests with a more complex structure, the presence of various vegetation layers can impede the spread of embers, reducing the likelihood of spot fires. Increased Fire Intensity: Wind can cause fires to burn more intensely by supplying oxygen to the flames and by pushing the fire front faster. In smaller and more open forests, this increased intensity can lead to more destructive fires that burn hotter and spread more quickly. Drying of Fuels: Wind can accelerate the drying of dead leaves, branches, and other forest debris, making them more flammable. This increases the availability of fuel for fires, making ignition more likely and contributing to the intensity of the fire. Other aspects: Forest Structure: Unmanaged primeval forests have a more diverse and complex structure. They typically have a variety of plant species at different heights and stages of growth, creating a multi-layered canopy and understory. This complex structure can slow down the spread of fires by acting as barriers, reducing the availability of continuous fuels. Fuel Accumulation: In managed, degraded, and fragmented forests, human activities often lead to the accumulation of dead wood, dry leaves, and other combustible materials. These materials serve as fuel for fires, making it easier for flames to spread quickly. Monoculture Plantations: Some managed forests are composed of monoculture plantations, where a single species is planted in rows. Monocultures lack the biodiversity that primeval forests possess, which means that if the planted species is susceptible to fire, the entire plantation becomes highly vulnerable. Invasive Species: Degraded and fragmented forests are more prone to invasion by non-native, invasive plant species that can increase the fuel load and alter the fire dynamics. These invasive plants often have higher flammability and can spread fires more rapidly. Lack of Natural Disturbance: Primeval forests have evolved with natural disturbances like fires, which are often of lower intensity and occur in a mosaic pattern. These natural disturbances create breaks in fuel continuity and prevent large-scale, catastrophic fires. In contrast, fire suppression efforts in managed forests can lead to the accumulation of fuels and more intense fires when they do occur. Fragmentation: Fragmented forests have smaller, isolated patches of vegetation separated by non-forested areas. This can create pathways for fires to easily spread from one patch to another, as well as limit the ability of animals to move away from the fire, further exacerbating the spread. Human Activities: Human activities, such as logging, road construction, and agricultural expansion, can alter the natural landscape and increase the risk of fires. Roads can act as fire corridors, and logging can leave behind debris that acts as fuel. Fire Suppression: Ironically, fire suppression efforts in managed forests can lead to the accumulation of combustible materials over time. When fires are prevented from occurring naturally or are quickly suppressed, fuel loads increase, making future fires more intense and difficult to control. Climate Change: While not specific to managed forests, the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires can be exacerbated by climate change. Higher temperatures, prolonged droughts, and altered precipitation patterns can create conditions that make fires more likely to start and spread. - ChatGPT