This week during the Atlantic Forest Nursery league , the Canadian Tree Nursery Association - Association Canadienne des Pépinières Forestières ( CTNA - ACPF ) reveal alarming raw data on Canada ’s woods return challenge following recent wildfires . Executive Director Rob Keen tell , " We need over 5.3 billion seedlings to begin regenerate only 15 % of our forests destroyed by 2023 and 2024 wildfires . Action on this is urgently call for by our Prime Minister , Premiers , and Forest Ministers . "
The Canadian Tree Nursery Association - Association Canadienne des Pépinières Forestières ( CTNA - ACPF ) counsel on behalf of 60 tree nurseries ( CTNA - ACPF Membership ) from coast to coast to sea-coast . Formed in 2023 , the CTNA - ACPF is the interior interpreter represent Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree nurseries in Canada , with their fellow member growing more than 95 % of the nation ’s forest restoration Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree seedling . The datum they presented , shows the numeral of seedling required by jurisdiction to start mitigating the impacts of 2023 and 2024 wildfires :
( take note : These numbers are conservative and assume 15 % of burn areas will be replanted at a compactness of 1500 - 1800 seedling per ha as per standards in each legal power . This planting is disjoined and distinct from the forest industries legal responsibility to replant post - harvest . )
Long - term investmentsThe planning and growth of seedlings for woods restoration typically take two to four years , which mean our expert greenhouse must make recollective - term investment in staff and infrastructure to guarantee availability of the right trees . Quebec - free-base , Mike Downing , Chair of the CTNA - ACPF , observed , " Our tree nursery , who specialize in producing seedlings for forest restoration , serve up as significant local employers in many rural Canadian communities , offer job for both lasting and seasonal doer . strategical preparation positively bear on the wellness of our timber , our community , our mood and the economy . "
The 2023 wildfire season set new records and 2024 is gestate to be the second worst season in late decades . The pressing indigence for forest renovation post wildfire is decline by provincial budget cutting . British Columbia plans to embed 58 million fewer trees in 2025 than in 2024 , a astonishingly regressive move .
Keen noted , " The Union governance ’s commendable 2 Billion Tree ( 2BT ) planting initiative , announced in 2020 was made before the late significant wildfires . " He added , " It is now obvious the 2BT planting target and implementation mechanisms are deficient to address the catastrophic losses of 2023 and 2024 . However , the lessons learned during the 2BT program development set the stage for increase overall restoration campaign beyond the program ’s 2031 end date . Government must storm up their efforts to mend their Crown forests and prepare for future challenges . governing must seat in the public ’s lifelike resource assets to assure their long - term wellness and all the benefits they provide . "
The CTNA - ACPF members are capability quick and perpetrate to meeting the current and increase demand for tree seedlings crucial for wildfire forest regaining . However , current policies , slow performance processes , and the want of farseeing - terminus forest seedling demand commitment from Government ’s to support Crown forest restoration , impede our member ’s planning and advancing resource / upper-case letter parcelling in line with Government commitment . By build these partnerships , we can assure a reliable supply of quality seedlings , fostering healthy forests for future generations .
The CTNA - ACPF recommends :
1 . increase and ensuring long - term Federal and Provincial commitment to the restoration of Crown woodland : The existing timberland restoration supply chain is ideally place to respond to increase planting demands . However , this will take addressing the barriers of preparation and implementation , and administration making long - term predictable demand commitment . This will enable public and private growers to ego - gift efficaciously to encounter the challenge .
2 . The Prime Minister committing to expand the 2 Billion Tree Program beyond 2031 .
3 . Engaging western scientific discipline and traditional knowledge to ensure the " proper tree are planted in the correct place . "
4 . handle confinement shortages in the nursery sector and equipping workers with the training and skills for sustainable tree seedling culture .
5 . start up now !
The CTNA - ACPF urges all stakeholder — including government , private sector partners , and the public — to prioritise a material addition in tree planting as essential to address wildfire devastation , support the sustainable rural economy , and defend more belligerent environmental stewardship in response to climate change . " Together , we will ensure our forest thrive for generations to get . "
For more information : https://ctna - acpf.ca / news
