Ed: That's almost exactly the same size as Minnesota. Thats a good size reserve, and its far enough north that boreal forest which are moving out of Minnesota will probably remain there in the future. Moose populations are increasing in the area under consideration. Trees in the area are likely to grow bigger with a warmer climate, but permafrost is also likely to thaw and soil carbon storage will go down, so I can't be sure whether the area will have an overall increase in carbon storage. The area will still fare better than the rest of Ontario, where 50,000 acre clearcuts are known to create moonscapes right up to the edge of parks.
Lee Edward Frank wrote: > TheStar.com | Ontario | Ontario to protect vast tract > Ontario to protect vast tract > > Ontario has made the largest conservation commitment in Canadian > history, setting aside at least half the Northern Boreal region – > 225,000 square kilometres – for permanent protection from development, > Premier Dalton McGuinty announced yesterday. It's an area almost the > size of the United Kingdom. It is, in a word, immense. It's also > unique and precious. It's home to the largest untouched forest in > Canada and the third largest wetland in the world," McGuinty said. > > http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/460305 > > Ed Frank > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
