Forest Resources along the St. Lawrence

Introduction Forestry in Quebec Forestry in Ontario Forest Harvesting Methods and Protection Forest Product Industries Selected Bibliography

The forest industry is the most important resource based industry in Canada. The forest industry includes forest management, logging, wood industries, pulp and paper, and forest protection. It accounts for 17% of Canada's exports. The industry has always been dependent on the St. Lawrence River to transport forest products from hinterland to the Atlantic Ocean.

Forest resources along the St. Lawrence have been exploited since the seventeen century.

The potential of the St. Lawrence forest for commercial purposes was early acknowledged. During the French Era, forests mainly served for naval construction. Britain only used the St. Lawrence forest for this purpose, but as the maritime transport technology improved larger quantities of wood were being ship to lumber poor Europe. After the middle of the nineteenth century forests became intensively used for construction materials and for the booming pulp and paper industry. After the middle of the twentieth century, several areas became depleted and forest resources management has become the norm.

Today, the forest resources along the St. Lawrence River are managed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Quebec Ministère des Ressources Naturelles. The forests bordering the river are divided by age structure and cover type, and designated for various human activities. There are three main forest types along the river: 1) hard wood; 2) mixed forest; and 3) soft wood. The distribution of these forests is identified in the map. The principal tree species in the area include sugar maple, yellow birch, balsam fir, basswood and black spruce.

Forestry is an important economic sector in Quebec. Most forests along the St. Lawrence were clear-cut.

Forestry is an important economic sector in Quebec. The province has a total land area of 135.7 million hectares, which includes 82.5 million hectares of forest. Quebec owns 92% of its forests. The Quebec forest industry is annually allowed to cut 56.5 m3 of forest. In 1992, Quebec cut 280 000 hectares of forest. The table below provides some economic data on Quebec's forest industry.

The forest industry is less important for Ontario, as the province is highly industrialised.

Ontario has a total land area of 89.1 million hectares, which includes 58 million hectares of forest of which the Ontario forest industry is annually allowed to cut 500,000 hectares. The Ontario Province owns 88% of its forests. In 1992, Ontario cut 170,000 hectares of forest. The table below provides some economic data on Ontario's forest industry.

Most forests along the St. Lawrence are clear-cut, but this harvesting method is changing with forest protection strategies.

Several methods are used to cut Canadian forests. Most forests in Quebec and Ontario are clear-cut. However, some forests are selectively cut or clear-cut with protection. In a clear-cut, all the trees in a stand are removed. Clearcutting is economically important because many trees can be removed quickly. Also, the forest is easily re-planted and cared for. However, clearcutting results in severe ecological damage. Clearcutting with protection means that some environmental damage from forest removal is prevented. Selective cutting is the removal of individual or groups of trees. This harvesting method can also cause environmental damage.

Following cutting activities many sites are reforested, tended and regenerated. Silviculture industries are an important sector of the Canadian forest industry. In 1994, Quebec reforested approximately 76 thousand hectares of forest (157,451,000 seedlings). In 1992, Ontario reforested 90,000 hectares of forest. Reforestation is accomplished by planting container and bareroot seedlings and seeding. Tending the forest includes weeding, and thinning. A forest is considered regenerated after 15 to 20 years of new growth.

Forest protection is also important to the Canadian economy. Forests risk damage caused by insects, diseases and fires. The main defoliators that are problematic in forests along the St. Lawrence are the spruce budworm and Hemloch looper. In 1993, fire destroyed 604,699 hectares of forest in Quebec. Defoliators and fire can result in forest destruction and significant economic loss.

Many forest product industries border the St. Lawrence River. The industries include papermaking and sawmills. The largest companies are Donohue, Domtar, Kruger, Tembec, James McLaren and Stone-Consolidated. The industries are dependent on the river for international transport.

• Ministère des Resources Naturelles. (1994). Quebec's forest resources and industry: a statistical report 1994 edition. Quebec.
• Ministry of Supply and Service. (1991). The state of Canada's environment. Ottawa.

Related Web Sites

Statistic Canada Natural Resources Canada Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service Domtar Tembec