Canada's forests in peril.......A series documenting the impact of a changing climate on Canada's forests and what people are doing to protect species at risk. A forest has a unique kind of energy that anyone who ventures into it can feel. There are sounds, scents and so much visual beauty. Even our skin is stimulated by the wind, the rain or brushing against the understory. Ancient forests are abundant with this kind of energy, which is why many consider them spiritual places. When we defile these great cathedrals, we bring silence where there once was an abundance of life. Has modern society become disconnected from nature? Urbanization is often blamed for isolating us from the forests and waters that once created wonder and adventure for us as children. But one doesn’t have to live in a rural setting to be thrilled by a trip to the mountains, a day at the beach or a stroll along a woodland trail. People travel from cities around the world to visit wilderness treasures like Banff National Park. Tourists are ecstatic when they see a bear, a moose or a bighorn sheep. Our love for nature still exists. Harvard biologist Edward O. Wilson defined “biophilia” as an innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms. Think about a time when you spotted a majestic bird like a bald eagle, akingfisher, or a pileated woodpecker. Did you stop and watch while the constant chatter of your thoughts paused for a brief and beautiful moment? It’s a tragedy when people are unable to connect with their natural affiliation with forests, waters and wild creatures. Targeted information floods in from social media, designed to capture our thoughts and addict us to a “meta” world. The constant flow of advertising drives us to consume and treat nature like a playground where we can try out our most expensive toys. All this modern-day background noise weakens our solemn respect for the wild, enabling remorseless acts of destruction, like the felling of an ancient grove of giant cedars. Some of us feel nothing when forests that have existed for thousands of years are reduced to desolate clearings and slash piles waiting to be burned. Many scientific studies indicate the natural world has a significant impact on our health and well-being. Is it possible that we are adversely affected by the loss of species, the polluting of pristine watersheds and the elimination of wildlife habitat? We are now in the midst of the sixth major extinction event. Could this be a factor contributing to the increase in depression, anger and polarization in society? A paradigm shift is required in our economic, financial and legal systems or the unsustainable consumption of nature will continue until every last old-growth forest has been replaced by tree farms lacking in biodiversity, soil health and mother trees. However, hope lies with Indigenous communities fighting for a larger role in the management of our remaining old-growth forests.The Protect Our Elder Trees Declaration aims to bring about a transformation in ecosystem management based on Indigenous leadership and guidance.       Watch the video  https://youtu.be/BAZT9-rOq_c               https://www.nationalobserver.com/2022/04/19/opinion/spiritual-qualities-ancient-forests       and               A warming climate is sending more tree-destroying pests north      According to Environment Canada, the overall economic impact of invasive species in Canada, including plants and living creatures, is staggering: about $7.5 billion annually.    Can Canada's forests survive climate change? Ten thousand years ago, when the last ice age gave way to the Holocene, a great migration was triggered in North America: trees began travelling northward, colonizing newly thawed landscapes at a pace of up to 500 metres a year. In a geoclimatic blink of an eye, trees colonized 38 per cent of the landmass now known as Canada, ultimately giving us nearly a 10th of all the forest in the world.            One of Canada’s biggest carbon sinks is circling the drain         Canada's continent-spanning forest used to remove massive amounts of CO2 from the air each year. It was a hugely valuable "carbon sink", slowing the pace of climate change and benefiting our logging industry.