Accounting for 9% of forests worldwide and 35% of the country’s total area, Canada’s forests are vast ecosystems that have long played a vital role in sustaining the people that inhabit them. Forests are central to our natural environment, history, culture and economy—providing everything from the air we breathe to the wood we use for shelter. Our forests also play a critical role in helping maintain our planet’s carbon balance, both storing and releasing carbon in a dynamic process of growth, decay, disturbance and renewal. Over the last four decades, forests have moderated climate change by absorbing about 25% of the carbon emitted by human activities.

But we are affecting this balance. In recent years, unprecedented insect outbreaks and increasingly common wildfires have transformed our forests from carbon sinks to carbon sources, releasing more carbon than they are able to absorb.

As we confront the consequences of a warming planet, what role can we play in ensuring the health of our forests and preserving their role as important carbon sinks? If human intervention has upset the balance, can we take actions to not only restore it but build upon it?

Join the Toronto Society of Architects for a night of discussion and dialogue as forestry professionals, environmentalists, and architects share their thoughts on Canada’s forests, their role in climate action, and our responsibilities as stewards of this land. The evening will start with a screening of ‘Capturing Carbon‘, a short film exploring the role of forestry in wildfire mitigation, forest regeneration, and sustainable construction. The film will be followed by a post-screening panel discussion reflecting on the themes of the film, including the rise of mass timber and what sustainable resource management entails. Attendees will then be invited to continue the conversation in an informal setting with light refreshments.