Every year Alberta Forest Week is celebrated during the first week of May. The Alberta Government has a list of fun activities for school children to enjoy and learn more about our forests.
In the Slave Lake area, the surrounding forests are why Vanderwell came here decades ago. The boreal forest, which includes the forests in the Slave Lake region, cover more than 60 percent of our province.
Did you know the boreal forest in Canada stretches across 1.2 billion acres (485 million hectares) of northern Canada, from the Yukon to Newfoundland and Labrador? Spruce, fir, pine, and tamarack are the main species found in the Canadian boreal forest.
Our forest sector is important to Alberta’s economy, and we do a lot to maintain healthy and sustainable forests for generations to come.
- The forestry industry overall in our province grows three times as many trees as we harvest.
- Last year, the industry planted more than 100 million trees.
- Our industry makes a 200-year plan mapping out the future of our forests.
- Forestry creates more than 30,000 jobs for Albertans and supports more than 70 communities across the province.
Operating a forestry company in Alberta is a privilege, not a right. Vanderwell, like other similar businesses, must meet and often exceed standards set by the government. We plant more trees than we harvest and must also show that water sources and wildlife are not negatively affected by our work.
In July 2022, we celebrated planting 100 million trees since 1991, quite an accomplishment, considering that for every tree Vanderwell harvests, we plant another three in its place. Almost two years later, we’ve planted another 3.7 million seedlings for a total of about 104 million!
All of that is important, and it’s the reason Vanderwell exists, but there’s another aspect to our forests that is just as critical, if not more so.
Healthy forests are good for the environment. They cycle carbon, produce oxygen, protect watersheds, and provide habitat for wildlife. Those of us in Slave Lake know they give us world-class recreational areas for camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, bird watching, and tourism.
Another aspect of our forests talked about more these days, by the medical research community, is the impact of nature on our mental health. Taking time to be in nature reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings. Nature not only makes us feel better, but it also affects our physical well-being. Research shows nature can reduce blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and stress hormones.
In Canada, about 40 percent of the landbase is covered in forests, and in the Slave Lake area, we’re surrounded by forests. During Alberta Forest Week, let’s take a moment to enjoy our precious resource.
