Globally, deforestation is a pressing issue affecting the same communities that continue to exacerbate it. In North America, deforestation is primarily caused by logging and agricultural industries fuelled by our rapid overconsumption of resources. Deforestation is the process by which land is repurposed for means to the detriment of the pre-existing natural environment.
A CBC article from the Canadian Press quoted the journal 'Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences' stating that 8,550 square kilometres of forests across the coast of British Columbia have been demolished for logging and agriculture (Owens, 2022). This indicates that trees are being cleared mainly for resources in the Vancouver area. The agricultural industry is a key sector in the Canadian economy, employing millions of people each year. These people are benefitting economically from deforestation, however, they continue to increase stress on the natural environment.
Increased incidences of wildfires across British Columbia has caused increasing forest loss. The cause of these wildfires is drawn back to human-enhanced climate change. Between 2001 to 2021, the detrimental effects of forest loss from fires and deforestation are evident from space, according to Nathan Griffiths at the Vancouver Sun (Griffiths, 2023). The Global Forest Watch reported that 30% of this loss was due to wildfires, and further emphasized the catastrophic effects of deforestation efforts for short-term profits.
Forests hold cultural and symbolic significance to the Indigenous communities like the First Nations and Inuit Peoples of British Columbia. It is pivotal that we conserve abundant natural spaces to ensure that traditional practices like these are conserved and inherited to future generations.
Stanley Park is one of the prominent Vancouver areas that acts as a natural sanctuary for urban green space. Areas such as English Bay Beach and Van Dusen Botanical Garden preserve flora and fauna that would have otherwise been eliminated. As environmental advocates, we must strive to increase urban green spaces like these.