Protecting the rainforest in partnership with Adventure Menu

70 per cent of Canada consists of large natural areas. 34 per cent of the country is covered by forest, 53 per cent of which is virgin forest (1,2).

Everyone is aware of the threats facing the Amazon rainforest and its value. Yet at the same time, hardly anyone talks about Canada’s forgotten ecosystem: British Columbia (BC) is home to the world’s last large contiguous area of temperate rainforest (3). Unlike in Germany, there is still virgin forest there. And yet, unfortunately, the timber industry in Canada is one of the most important economic sectors, and BC, of all places, is one of the last jurisdictions on earth that continues to permit the large-scale felling of 600–1,800-year-old primeval forest giants (4). Between 2003 and 2010, deforestation in BC alone was responsible for annual
CO₂ emissions of 49.5 megatonnes (5), more than the whole of Finland.

Consequential problems include the erosion of nutrient-rich soils, a lack of rainfall, low water levels in rivers, a loss of air filters and water reservoirs, a heated microclimate, the loss of entire genetic libraries, the disruption of salmon spawning cycles in Canada, and increasing global CO₂ emissions, which contribute to climate change. Around 13 per cent of global CO₂ emissions stem from deforestation (6), far more than from the aviation sector (7).

A unique and species-rich natural environment

The temperate rainforest is a unique ecosystem. Its primeval forests are home to a unique diversity of species and giant trees that are thousands of years old. Rare ghost orchids are native to this area, as are bears, wolves and eagles. 

Wilderness is the only place where countless species can find a suitable habitat. This is because the older forests become, the greater their genetic diversity and the better the reproductive capacity of their inhabitants. In this way, primeval forests guarantee the survival of countless species and are essential for the conservation of biodiversity (8). Only by preserving existing natural habitats can biodiversity spread out from there once more. This is an essential prerequisite for the restoration and rehabilitation of damaged forests, land and soils, particularly those affected by desertification, drought and flooding.
Following deforestation, some functional groups – such as fungi, lichens and beetles – take up to 180 years to recover and never again reach the levels found in a primeval forest. These slow recovery rates of certain functional groups, which are essential for the functioning of the ecosystem, make primary forests an irreplaceable resource for biodiversity (9).

Climate protection

Temperate rainforests are global leaders in CO₂ sequestration. Trees and peatlands, some of which are up to 2,000 years old, play a crucial role in climate protection. Nowhere else do trees and forest peatlands sequester as much CO₂ – over 60 kg per square metre in the Misty Forest! Furthermore, trees with a large diameter store disproportionately large amounts of carbon (10). By protecting them, we ensure that the carbon remains sequestered and does not return to the atmosphere as CO₂, where it would accelerate global warming. Greenhouse gases are distributed evenly throughout the atmosphere. According to the principle of carbon neutrality, it is therefore irrelevant where emissions are produced or avoided. What matters far more is that the global concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is reduced.  
Furthermore, we safeguard other important functions of the forest that contribute to a stable climate: for example, its cooling and water-storage functions, without which vital rainfall would be absent, leading to increasingly hot and dry conditions. Furthermore, forests produce vital oxygen and filter the air.
Protecting Canadian rainforests is therefore a tangible contribution to climate protection. 

Wilderness has positive global effects

The protection of wilderness areas has many positive effects: stable rainfall, clean air, clear water, biodiversity, climate preservation, havens of peace for retreat and recreation, fantastic landscapes, space for adventure and challenge, and a reconnection with our roots. Where we protect these places has no bearing on the extent to which we can benefit from these positive effects.

There is still wilderness in Canada

 In Germany, too, there were once primeval forests with ancient trees stretching across the entire country. The fact that nothing remains of them today shows that wilderness cannot be taken for granted. It is our responsibility to protect the remaining wilderness areas, no matter where they are.

Saying thank you to nature

The natural balance can only be maintained if we stop merely taking and start giving as well. It is therefore time to finally give back to nature. Let’s say thank you for everything it provides us with – let’s protect it.

Legal certainty and lasting protection

Canada is a country governed by the rule of law with strict regulations on property rights. This makes arbitrary expropriation impossible. Unlike in countries with less robust legal certainty, causing damage therefore results in comprehensive sanctions. The British Columbia Trespass Act clearly prohibits trespassing on private land. Violations are prosecuted in court upon complaint, even if no damage has been caused. A fence, natural boundaries or signs should be in place, which is why our plots of land are marked with signs. Furthermore, due to their remoteness and the fact that the area is undeveloped, our protected areas can only be reached at great financial, material and time-related expense, and not without risk. We monitor the protected areas during regular expeditions. The land is purchased by Wilderness International and our Canadian sister foundation, Wilderness International (Canada), through registration in the land register. Our articles of association stipulate, in accordance with the foundation’s purpose, that the plots of land must be left untouched and may only be visited for research and documentation purposes. The foundation’s structure prevents the rights to dispose of the property from resting with a single individual. Rather, the foundation – and therefore its land – always belongs to all those involved with the foundation at any given time. This ensures the long-term protection of the purchased areas. We always pay for the purchase of plots of land up front. Your donation refinances the purchase. In this way, we ensure that your donation is used to protect precisely the piece of woodland that you have chosen.

Imminent threat

Only around 25 per cent of the original area of temperate rainforest remains in Canada. These remaining areas are exposed to various threats:

• Logging in primeval forests
• Agricultural land is displacing the forests
• Urban sprawl and the construction of infrastructure such as roads
• Canada’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol

See also ‘Why no local projects?’ and ‘Why aren’t Canadians taking action themselves?’

Sources:
1: Mongabay (2010). Canada Forest Information and Data. Retrieved on 4 February 2022. 
2: Watson, James E. M., Allan, James R. et al. (2018). Protect the last of the wild. Nature 563, pp. 27–30 (2018). 
3: DellaSala, D.A. (ed.), 2010. Temperate and boreal rainforests of the world: Ecology and Conservation, Island Press, Washington, D.C.
4: Wu, K., 14 September 2019. What will it take to save B.C.’s old-growth forests?, Vancouver Sun, Vancouver.
5: Wieting, J., 2015. B.C. Forest Wake-Up Call: Heavy Carbon Losses Hit 10-Year Mark, Sierra Club BC, Victoria.
6: Quarks (2018). Why the destruction of the rainforest is worse than you think.
7: Ritchie, H. (2020). Climate change and flying: what share of global CO₂ emissions come from aviation? Our World in Data.
8: Gibson, L., Lee, T.M., et al. (2011). Primary forests are irreplaceable for sustaining tropical biodiversity. *Nature* 478, 378–381 (2011).
9: Spake, R., Ezard, T.H.G., Martin, P.A. et al. (2015). A meta-analysis of functional group responses to forest recovery outside the tropics.
10: Mildrexler, D. J., Berner, L. T., Law, B. et al. (2020). Large trees dominate carbon storage in forests east of the Cascade Crest in the United States’ Pacific Northwest. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 3(20).

In Canada, we are aided by the high level of legal certainty and the legal framework, as well as the penalties – which even prohibit trespass – and the cultural and historical significance of property.

In Peru, we have also launched a forest ranger programme in collaboration with local people. We have put several measures in place to ensure long-term protection. Generally speaking, we visit the areas on regular expeditions to check that everything is in order. We also work with local partners who inform us if necessary. The donations per square metre also already include the costs of property tax.

The legal form of the foundation, unlike any other, enables it to fulfil a (charitable) purpose permanently and independently of external interests, thereby achieving the desired long-term effects. It is thus the most long-term organisational structure currently known. Not even states, companies or national parks are designed to last that long. This makes the foundation the only organisation oriented towards the lifespan of the ecosystems we protect.