Climate Change, Carbon Sequestration, and Forest Fire Protection in the Canadian Boreal Zone

Download or read book Climate Change, Carbon Sequestration, and Forest Fire Protection in the Canadian Boreal Zone written by Brian J. Stocks and published by . This book was released on 2011-08 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Boreal forests and peatlands in northern circumpolar areas, including Ontario, store globally significant amounts of carbon but are subject to forest fires and other natural disturbances that cycle carbon between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. Climate change projections for the 21st century suggest that wildland fire regimes will become more severe, with more fires, more extreme weather events, and the likelihood of increased area burned. Even if fire suppression resources are increased to cope with the changing fire conditions, suppression efforts will be challenged. Forest fires release significant amounts of greenhouse gases and under a more severe fire regime increased emissions are expected. Concerns over increasing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the potential to achieve carbon offset credits through enhanced forest management practices, may lead resource management agencies to consider, as one of their options, increasing fire suppression efforts to reduce area burned and maintain carbon in storage.