Forests and associated industries are extremely important to Canada. Ensuring we protect our forests and the forestry industry is imperative in ensuring our environment, and finances, stay healthy.

Why forests are so important:

• Canada is home to approximately 10% of the world’s forest (400 million hectares); Ontario is made up of 66% forest, while urban areas only make up 2%
• Canada is the world’s largest exporter of forest products; $33.6 billion worth of forest products were exported from Canada in 2007, accounting for more than half of the country’s trade balance
• In Ontario, forestry is our second largest manufacturing sector with sales of $18 billion per year, providing direct employment for more than 80,000 people and an estimated 200,000 indirect jobs
• Forests moderate climate, provide a habitat for wildlife, protect biodiversity and play a very important role in recreational activities

The threat to our forests:

• Our natural resources are threatened by native and alien organisms, including invasive pest insects
• In 2008, 13.7million hectares of forest were defoliated by such insects, causing millions of dollars of lost revenue to the forestry industry

The Research Solution:

• Various researchers across Canada are looking at ways to control invasive species to reduce the harm inflicted on Canada’s forests
• One such researcher is Dr. Basil Arif who is using genomics approaches to develop a virus to control the spruce budworm, one of the most destructive pests