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The boreal forest by the numbers

200
Number of bird species worldwide that may disappear within the next 20 years.

300
Number of bird species that breed in Canada’s boreal forest.

500
Number of breeding pairs of migratory birds that one square mile (2.5 square kilometres) of the boreal forest can support.

One-third
Proportion of the Canadian boreal region allocated to forestry companies.

186 billion tonnes
Amount of carbon stored in the Canadian boreal forest and peatland ecosystems.

11%
Percentage of the world’s terrestrial carbon stored in Canada’s boreal forest.

49%
Percentage of Ontario’s boreal forest that is managed Crown land.

8%
Percentage of Canada’s boreal forest protected from development.

16%
Percentage of Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions released by logging.

33 million tonnes
Amount of carbon released into the atmosphere annually due to logging in Canada.

59%
Percentage of Ontario’s total woodlands that is made up of boreal forest.

729,000 hectares
Estimated area of boreal forest logged in Ontario between 2004 and 2007.

62,000
Length in kilometres of the logging roads that run through Ontario’s southern boreal forest.

9%
Percentage of Ontario’s boreal forest that is within parks and protected areas.

5%
Percentage of Ontario’s northern boreal forest that is designated as protected.

50%
Percentage of the northern boreal region the Ontario government promises to protect.

Most
Amount of Ontario’s southern boreal forest outside of provincial parks slated to be clearcut within the next 100 years.

Sources: Boreal Songbird Initiative; Bird Studies Canada; Ministry of Natural Resources; Priorities for Ontario; Audubon