Vast Boreal Reserve Taking Shape in Canada’s Far North

An ambitious plan to preserve a vast swath of Canada’s boreal forest, encompassing 470,000 square miles, is moving ahead as four Canadian provinces and territories gradually forge agreements setting aside protected lands. The so-called Far North Act — a collaboration among Parks Canada; the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba; the Northwest territories; indigenous First Nations groups; environmentalists; and a key logging industry association — will set aside an area that is five times as large as the U.S. national park system. An additional 470,000 square miles of boreal forest will be subject to development, but under strict ecological standards. All told, more than 25 percent of Canada’s landmass will either be fully or partially protected from development under the Far North Act, which is expected to take 15 years to fully implement. Among the act’s most notable features is its emphasis on protecting Canada’s boreal forest for its important role in sequestering carbon.