Global scientists urge Canada to save Boreal Forest - AFP

[Eugene]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Global scientists urge Canada to save Boreal Forest

Mon May 14, 2:03 PM ET

OTTAWA (AFP) - Some 1,500 scientists urged Canada on Monday
to protect its vast Boreal Forest from mining, forestry and energy
operations, to stem global warming and destruction of wildlife
habitats.

The scientists from around the world asked that half of the forest,
which spans 1.4 billion acres (567 million hectares) in northern Canada,
be preserved.

The remaining half would require "carefully managed development," they
said in an open letter to Canadian leaders.

The Boreal Forest is "the largest intact forest and wetland ecosystems
remaining on earth," home to the planet's largest populations of wolves,
bears, and caribou, many fish, as well as three billion migratory birds.

It is also the single largest terrestrial carbon storehouse in the world,
capturing 186 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), the scientists said.
CO2 is one of the main "greenhouse" gases blamed for global warming.

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Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070514/wl_canada_afp/canadaenvironment_070514174619