          
DID YOU KNOW...Flavourful salmonberries, highbush blueberries, large cranberries, black and red huckleberries and western serviceberries all grow wild in Canada's Boreal |
Media CentrePress Releases2005New Study Finds Almost 50% of North American Birds Depend on Boreal - Including Declining SpeciesMay 2, 2005 - Ottawa New scientific research released today shows that some of the North American birds that scientists worry most about are also those that rely most on Canada's Boreal region for survival. Hundreds of thousands of ducks such as the Greater and Lesser Scaup, the three scoter species, birds such as the Rusty Blackbird and Lesser Yellowlegs - all species of conservation concern based on declining populations - are among the nearly 50% of North American bird species that are found in the Boreal region. At the same time, the research shows that the Boreal sustains some of the world's most abundant bird populations, including literally billions of landbirds and millions of waterfowl, waterbirds and shorebirds. "The Boreal is home to both some of our most vulnerable and many more of our most abundant bird populations - that's part of its wealth of ecological values," said CBI Director Cathy Wilkinson. "Simply put, the future of our birds depends on the Boreal. In turn, the future of the Boreal depends on us and how well we are able to plan for the conservation of nesting grounds for birds, calving grounds for caribou, the Boreal's clean air and water and so many other values as we balance natural and human activities in the region." The new study was conducted by Dr. Peter Blancher of Bird Studies Canada for the Canadian Boreal Initiative and the U.S.-based Boreal Songbird Initiative. It coincides with the beginning of spring rush hour in Canadian skies as migrating birds wind their way north from winter havens to breed in the Boreal. Key findings in the report include that 80% of the waterfowl species of North America, 63% of finch species, and 53% of warbler species breed, at least in part, in the Boreal. For nearly 100 species, 50% or more of their entire breeding populations occur in the region. The new report uses cutting-edge GIS technology coupled with bird abundance data in this first-ever effort to quantify the importance of the Boreal across an entire class of wildlife. "This study confirms the vital importance of the boreal forest to birds in Canada and across the Americas," said Gregor Beck, Director of Avian Science and Conservation for Bird Studies Canada. "The boreal forest provides habitat for a tremendous abundance and diversity of birds, with over 300 known breeding species. Over 90 percent of these are migratory, with the majority wintering in southern North America, Central America or South America." "The boreal forest is the hemisphere's most important bird ‘nursery,' home to literally billions of birds," added Beck. "Whether you're considering the majestic Great Gray Owl or the diminutive Blackpoll Warbler, the future for bird life in the Americas depends in large measure on the health of the boreal forest," added Beck. Spanning 1.4 billion acres from Newfoundland and Labrador to the Yukon, Canada's Boreal region represents one-quarter of the earth's remaining intact forests. But its future is uncertain. Currently, 90% of the region is open to industrial development and one-third has already been allocated for a particular industrial use. From the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline - potentially the single largest industrial construction project in Canada's North - to mineral exploration and mine development in Labrador, industrial development interest in the region is growing exponentially. In response, in 2003, an extraordinary alliance of conservation organizations, First Nations and resource companies convened by CBI launched a made-in-Canada conservation solution for the entire region. The Boreal Forest Conservation Framework calls for increased protection of the region, up from less than 10% currently to 50%, and world-class sustainable development practices on the remaining landscape. Full copies of the report entitled The Boreal Forest Region: North America's Bird Nursery are available at www.borealcanada.ca/research-cbi-reports-e.php Additional information on CBI and the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework is also available at www.borealcanada.ca -30- For more information: |
| Contact Us Links FAQs |
 |
 |
 |
