Keeping the Boreal Forest intact

Protect the threatened woodland caribou

The woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), cousin of the European reindeer, is an iconic Boreal species. The shy and elusive animal, whose profile graces the back of the Canadian quarter, is a symbol of Canadian wilderness. Woodland caribou rely on large tracts of undisturbed Boreal Forest. They are unable to tolerate landscape changes, particularly those produced by logging. Hence, the woodland caribou is on the verge of extinction throughout much of Canada and Alaska.

Limiting industrial development

Because industrial development is increasingly moving into remote wilderness areas, woodland caribou are facing serious declines across Canada. This keystone species has faced dramatic range recession in the last 100 years, mostly due to logging. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada has identified the woodland caribou as a threatened species, and scientists predict that they will be extinct from many areas if habitat loss continues at its present pace. If the Boreal Forest continues to be logged at its current rate, we could lose this important species altogether—along with the clean air, water and other ecosystem services that this vital forest provides.

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