Canadian Western Boreal Forest and Alaska
Encompassing 1.5 billion acres from western Alaska to Canada's Atlantic Coast, North America's boreal forest is the largest remaining intact forest and wetland ecosystem on earth. Of particular importance to waterfowl is the western boreal forest, which annually supports 12 million to 14 million ducks during the breeding season. More than half the surveyed populations of 10 duck species and a quarter of the surveyed populations of another seven duck species occur in the western boreal forest. Population trends among boreal waterfowl vary considerably by region and species. In Alaska, populations of most dabbling ducks have increased in recent decades, while in Canada, the most abundant species in the western boreal forest (scaup, mallards, American wigeon and scoters) have declined by 25 percent to 60 percent from historical levels.
Waterfowl biologists have known for decades that boreal wetlands provide vital habitat for millions of waterfowl, but due to the region's remoteness and great size, it was not considered a high conservation priority until recently. That perception has changed as many forms of development have begun to impact boreal wetlands and other wildlife habitats on a vast scale. In Canada, the energy, forestry and agriculture sectors are growing rapidly, particularly in the southern boreal forest, where deforestation is occurring at one of the highest rates on earth. Recent analyses suggest that these activities may have reached a level that is limiting duck populations.
Ducks Unlimited has been instrumental in mapping more than 350 million acres of wetlands and associated uplands in the western boreal forest of Alaska and Canada. DU and its partners are using these maps as well as data from waterfowl distribution and habitat studies to promote sustainable land-use practices that conserve key wetland habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife. In partnership with the Pew Charitable Trusts and a consortium of aboriginal, federal, provincial and territorial governments; other nongovernmental organizations; and visionary industries, DU is working to permanently protect 50 percent of Canada's boreal forest and ensure that sustainable land-use practices are implemented throughout the region.
Already more than 70 million acres of the western boreal forest have been conserved, largely in protected areas or via sustainable development planning. —Dr. Stuart Slattery and Dr. Fritz Reid
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