PAGE, 22 NORTHWEST FORESTRY, DIGEST.= JANUARY.1997. Around the clock demand With every turn of the second hand on your wrist- watch, the world's population increases by three. that means cur planet must support another 93 million people every year. This staggering growth had direct. implications for the world's forests. The United Nations predicts global demand for forest products will increase at the rate of 86 million cubic metres annually until. 2010. By way of comparison, British Columbia harvest less than 80 million cubic metres each year. In- order to satisfy the United Nations’ projections for future wood demand, the volume of timber extracted from the world's forest must increase at a rate greater than one B.C. harvest each year. FORESTS OF THE WORLD More than four billion hectares of forest and woodlands blanket the planet, with the largest concentrations in the former Soviet Union and the Americas, Excluding Antarctica, nearly one-third of the world's land mass is covered by the forest. Tronically, the Iwo regions most offen accused of ‘deforestation’ - British Columbia and Brazil - have retained far more forest land than the rest of the world. Sixty-five per cent of B.C. is forested; 66 percent of Brazil is. British Columbia is home to about 60.6 million hectares of forest, or two thirds of the province's total land area. B.C.'s FOREST IN PROFILE British Columbia's forests are ifs natural resource, encampassing nearly two- thirds of the provincial land base. Forests managed’ for timber production comprise about 40 per cent of the tolai forest resource. Less than one per cent of B.C.'s_ working forest is harvested in any one year, In 1993, 220,000 hectares of forest land was harvested for atimber yield of 79.2 million cubic metres, This represents 0.9 per cent of the working forest by area and 0.9: per cenl of the working forest by volume of mature timber. The vast majority of trees cut in B.C. each year (about 92 per cent) are used to manufacture solid wood building products like lumber, plywood and roofing. Another seven per cent goes directly into pulp and paper, and about one per cent is exported as raw logs. The primary source of fibre for B.C/s pulp and paper mills is residue from solid wood manufacturing. In 1993, B.C, sawmills shipped about 25 million cubic metres of wood chips ta pulp and paper mills - the volume equivalent of 31 per cent of the annual timber harvest. ALL FORESTS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL British Columbia has some of the most productive forest land in the world. A hectare of mature forest in B.C. yields eight times more merchantable timber than a hectare of mature forest in Brazil's Amazon rain forest. On average, about 400 cubic metres is harvested per hectare in B.C. In Siberia, it's about 50 cubic metres per hectares; in Brazil just 8 cubic metres per hectare. About 220,000 hectares of forest land is harvested each year in B.C, To produce an equivalent amount of wood in Siberia, about. 1.76 million hectares would have to be harvéstec; in the Amazon, about 11 million hectares, AT WHAT COST? Wood isn't the only building product on the market, but it is one of the most environmentally- friendly choices a builder or architect can make, For instance, producing a tonne of wood requires 126 times Jess energy than producing a tonne of steel, 14 times less than a tonne of glass and five time less than a tonne of cement. Replacing B.C.'’s annual lumber production with’ an equivalent amount | of aluminum or steel would result in a huge increase in energy consumption. It would require new hydro-electric dams on some of: the province's largest’ river systems, or new coal-fired and nuclear power” plants. Any of these options would have significant environmental consequences. Lumber production -is* also cleaner than its alternatives. Manufacturing steel ‘studs results in .40 times more harmful effluent and three times more carbon dioxide emissions than manufacturing wooden two-by-fours. Aluminum - kilowatts per tonne. Steel - 13,920 kilowatts per tonne, Cement - 2,900 kilowaits per 73,080 tone. Brick - 2,320 kilowatts per tonne. Wood - 580 kilowatts per tonne. ; HOW FAR DOES A TRUCKLOAD GO? British Columbia produces far more lumber, plywood, pulp and paper than its cilizens require. In fact, one 24 tonne truckload of logs is harvested from BC's forest each year for every man, women and child in the province. That's because B.C.'s forest industry produces primarily for export. Nearly &2 per cent of B.C, Forest products are destined for foreign markets. A significant portion of the remaining 18 per cent is sold in Canadian markets outside B.C. , Forest preduci exports represent more than 60 per cent of the province's export earnings. Most people recognize food, water and oxygen as the basic building . blacks ‘of human survival. But there's another, element in the hierarchy of materials required to sustain civilization. [t's wood, In fact, based on. current levels of consumption, human populations require a greater volume of wood than food; wood for constructing homes and other buildings, wood for cooking and heating, wood for making furnishings, tools and equipment, and wood for manufacturing paper products. Each of the 5.6 Dillion people on ithe — planet consumes an. average of 1,700 grams of wood every day. That compares to potata (223), wheat (227g), corn (210g), rice (2000052), milk (235g), meat (80g), oranges (3lg) and tomato (21g). Woed consumption is even higher. in Canada; where 28 million people each consume 1,700 grams of wood every eight hours. Average daily consumption per person. _ Milk: 235 g. Potato 233 g g Wood: 1,700 g. Tamato: 21g. Wheat 227 g. A FINAL WORD Even as global demand for wood increases and -the environmental consequences of alternatives become clear, BC, is being pressured to decrease or: even’ halt its timber production. - But what would happen. if B.C.'s forest sector stopped ptoducing for -export . tomorrow? ~~ Aside «from massive job loss, _ social . dislocation and plummeting government revenues, often overlooked - . Tecrealion, removing the source af one- third of the world's saftwood lumber trade would have severe environmental implications. The law of supply and demand dictates that world prices for lumber, plywood, pulp, paper and other forest Columbia would be motivated to increase their cut beyond sustainable levels, "Transferring wood demand to other regions of the world ..will definilely encourage massive felling of the remaining Siberian and Amazonian forests. it is not a products would soar. Timber globally acceptable producing countries with environmental solution to lower environmental #@vocate-a lower level of standards than —_ British “harvest in B.C." Canadian We also get involved in . events, commissions, Women in planning processes, i and committees that are Timber from related to forest land use page 18 such as LRMP's and Aboriginal initiatives. Fraser Valley, = Lower We work with groups such Mainland, Williams Lake and Shuswap all deliver programs through the public education system. Terrace offers a comprehensive three-day forest. camp for grade five students that includes transportation, accommodation, food, speakers, and activities. Sunshine Coast provides education to the public with such methods as Reach for the Tree Top contest. This year they organized all the events for their National Forest Week. Members at-large are also active. The Parsons from. Powell River take their portable sawmill to classrooms in BC on request. as the NFPA, ILMA, SHARE BC, Forest Alliance, interpretive forests, universities and others. We hold an annual Forest Awareness Day in October, publish a quarterly newsletter, donate bursaries to students, take part in rallies, and sponsor and assist with woods tours. Four of our Board members have travelled to Europe - on speaking tours correcting misinformation about BC’s forest industry. What we may lack in massive numbers and funds, we make up for with dedication, © determination, and — gut- driven motivation. Canadian Women in Timber are out to make a difference! Come, See for yourself Forest tours are offered in many communilies — in Northern British Columbia. You are. invited to come along and see: for yourself how . your forests — are manages. These tours include both guided and‘self guided tour options - pick one to suit your schedulel The guided tours offer you a ‘chance to meet the peoplé who manage, harvest and renew. the forest. You will see. how-we harvest timber and_ replant the forests. You will learn’. how wildlife, "wilderness resources ‘and range — are managed. You ‘can ask questions and we can‘gel-you views from you - oul in the woods - where counts. the self guided tours allow you the opportunity. to explore: the woods at your, leisure. What To Bring You are going on a forestry tour, so.dress accordingly. Wear casual clothes - long pants and sturdy foot wear. The weather can change, so be. prepared.” Bring a_ rain jacket, a sweater, sunglasses, sun’ lotion” and insect repellent. Cameras and filed glasses -are a good idea. _ Besides the scenery, you have -a-good chance of seeing and photographing some. of our diverse wildlife. ° ¢ ~ Smithers Ambulance Service ~ 847-8808 ) it. really. dee ip owen Satweeere! Omen Leet’