Stage One:
Young Forest
Stage Two:
Growing Forest
Stage Three:
Mature Forest
WhitecourtGrande PrairieSlave LakeAthabascaCochrane

Legend

  • 360° Forest Tour
  • Visit the Demonstration Forests

Forests provide different benefits at different stages of maturity.

Younger trees capture carbon at a greater rate than mature forests. Some animals thrive best in established forests, while others do best in younger ones. Some species even prefer areas that have been recently harvested or burned. The key to making our forests the best they can be is helping to maintain a healthy balance of different tree species and ages across the province.

Stage One:
Young Forest

Where sections of older forest have burned or been harvested, a young forest has room to emerge. In the case of harvesting, Alberta’s forestry companies are required to replant the area with a similar mix of trees and help the new forest establish itself. Young forests are open enough for sun-loving plants to grow in, and those plants are a food source for iconic Alberta wildlife.

Stage Two:
Growing Forest

The middle stage of a forest’s life is the longest – over the course of this stage, the forest continues to mature and evolve. Trees reach the prime of their life, and the mixture of cover and open space attracts a new host of plants and animals. A complex natural ecosystem emerges, and the forest becomes self-sustaining.

Stage Three:
Mature Forest

The trees in mature boreal forests have reached full size and are densely packed together. Large amounts of carbon are stored in mature forests, and they’re key to the survival of wildlife species like caribou. Trees at this stage start to be more susceptible to fire, disease and insect infestations, though, and most Alberta trees have a maximum lifespan of 150 years under ideal conditions. Without strategic forest management, historical fire patterns show that most Alberta forests would burn every 50-100 years.

Return to the Forest

Back to your tour.

Explore More

Return to the map to explore another stage of forest.

Share

Alberta forests (and Nathan Fillion) are worth talking about.

Learn

Visit Love AB Forests to find out more about what we do.

Mature Forest: Research

Researching Forest Ecosystems

Researchers like the University of Alberta’s Ellen MacDonald – the forest ecologist in this video here – are constantly building our understanding of how to care for our forests.

Alberta’s forest management practices are based on world-class research. Understanding the interplay of the various parts of the forest, what different organisms need to survive, the impact of disturbances and more helps us protect the long-term sustainability of our forests.

Foresters receive education in forest science as part of their training. Many biologists, ecologists and other researchers – here in Alberta and around the world – devote their careers to studying forest ecosystems.

DID YOU KNOW?

The province of Alberta is over 60% forest.

Discover hotspots in the 360° and click them to learn more

Your Browser is out of date.

To view the experience, try updating to the latest version of: