Though wildfires are part of a forest’s natural lifecycle, they are becoming more frequent and severe as a result of climate change.^[11] And with the projected rate of climate change expected to grow 10 to 100 times faster than the ability of our forests to migrate naturally, we need to be working with nature to help them adapt to these changing climate conditions.^[12]

Using the latest science, researchers are finding new ways to minimize the impacts of these disturbances. Modern methods of harvesting are intended to mimic natural growth cycles to minimize the impact of human intervention while mitigating the severity of climate change and new forest management strategies are regenerating harvested areas with trees that are better adapted to future climate conditions.^[23][24] Active forest management, in the form of tree thinning and carefully-planned harvesting, not only removes the decay and debris that can accelerate these disturbances but, through innovations in our sector, can turn that debris into the bioenergy that helps forestry communities reduce their reliance on fossil fuels^[14]. And the active monitoring and adjusting harvesting schedules to favour older, insect-damaged stands can help us not only avoid catastrophic wildfires, but regenerate these high-risk trees with healthier, younger forests.