Boreal forests

Across northern Ontario, we’re protecting vast boreal forest and peatlands that are vital to our planet’s health. These powerful ecosystems store vast amounts of carbon, filter our drinking water and provide habitat for wildlife, while strengthening northern communities. Together, we can protect this remarkable landscape forever.

Table of contents

Location

Ontario

Conserved since

2022

Habitat(s)

Forest, Peatlands, Wetlands, Lakes and rivers

Needs support now

Protect places like this, forever

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Boreal forest at a glance

Northern Ontario is home to some of our largest conservation projects, including Boreal Wildlands near Hearst, Kabenung Lakes and Forest near Wawa, and Taiga Forest and Peatlands south of Kapuskasing.
The boreal forest is one of the world’s most powerful climate solutions. Large, intact boreal forests absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in trees, roots and soil.
Protecting large, connected landscapes like these gives species the space they need to roam, adapt and thrive as the climate continues to change.

Why protecting the boreal forest matters

The boreal forest is one of the largest intact forests left on Earth, and northern Ontario holds a substantial share of it.

For thousands of years, these forests, wetlands and peatlands have created a vast, connected landscape that stores carbon, provides clean water and supports wildlife. Protecting it helps people and nature thrive now and in the future.

A climate powerhouse

The boreal forest, together with its peatlands and soils, is the largest terrestrial carbon storehouse on the planet. Its deep peatlands capture and store carbon at the highest rates of any northern ecosystem.

Cleaner water

Hundreds of lakes, rivers and wetlands weave through northern Ontario’s boreal landscape. These natural systems work together to filter and store water, protect against flooding and deliver cleaner water to communities downstream.

A refuge for iconic Canadian wildlife

Large, connected forests give animals the space they need to move, find food and raise their young. The boreal forest is home to species such as woodland caribou, Canada lynx, moose and black bear. It is also an important breeding area for millions of migratory birds.

A man walks through a forest with autumn foliage.

A calm river winds through a wetland surrounded by a forest with autumn foliage.

What’s at stake

Northern Ontario’s boreal forest is a natural asset that supports communities, wildlife and the economy. As the North continues to grow and change, protecting large, connected landscapes helps ensure these benefits continue for future generations. Together with partners, we are working to conserve the boreal forest so people and nature can thrive.

What could be lost?

The boreal forest contains some of the planet’s last intact forest ecosystems, stores immense amounts of carbon, safeguards freshwater and supports wildlife at scale.

Why does it matter?

Ontario’s boreal forest plays a vital role in supporting clean water, reducing climate risks and sustaining communities. Once lost, these ecological functions cannot simply be recreated.

Why is action needed now?

The boreal forest and its peatlands have formed over thousands of years. Today, they are under increasing pressure from fragmentation, land use change and a shifting climate. As landscapes become more divided, their ability to store carbon, filter freshwater and sustain biodiversity can be diminished. There is a critical opportunity to secure these landscapes now, before it’s too late.

See how we are protecting Ontario’s boreal forests.

An aerial view of a winding river flowing through a forest with autumn foliage.

The boreal forest has sustained life for thousands of years. Together, we can protect this vital landscape and ensure it continues to support wildlife and communities for generations to come.

Where the Canada lynx calls home

The Canada lynx is a wide-ranging hunter, needing expansive, connected landscapes to hunt, roam and raise its young. Because it needs a lot of space, conserving habitat for the lynx protects countless other boreal species, too. By protecting forests and peatlands at a landscape scale in northern Ontario, we give this elusive cat the room it needs to thrive.

A Canada lynx walks through green shrubs and tall grass.

“Opportunities to conserve large tracts of private land are rare, and when they arise, it’s important to move quickly so nature can continue caring for people and communities for generations.”

Dana Kleniewski, Regional Vice-President, Ontario, NCC

A woman with curly hair and glasses smiles against a white background.

Two people stand by a river in a forest during autumn, with one person pointing across the water.

The plan in action

We’re protecting large, connected boreal landscapes so wildlife can move freely and ecosystems can function as they should. But protection is only the beginning. Land maintenance, ecological monitoring and habitat restoration keep these landscapes healthy and resilient for the long term.

Our work includes activities like planting native species to restore former logging roads. This helps reconnect habitat and improve movement corridors for declining species like the woodland caribou. We’re also exploring innovative nature financing, creating value that flows back into protecting and caring for these lands forever.

Boreal wildlands

In 2022, we protected 145,000 hectares of boreal forest, wetlands, rivers and creeks south of Hearst, creating the largest private land conservation project in Canadian history. This vast, connected landscape provides space for wildlife to move, protects important freshwater systems and keeps enormous amounts of carbon stored safely in the ground. This landmark achievement shows what’s possible when we come together to protect the lands and waters that sustain us all.

Kabenung Lakes and Forest

In 2026, we safeguarded more than 8,100 hectares of forests, lakes and wetlands near Pukaskwa National Park, extending the benefits of conservation beyond the park’s boundaries. The landscape spans three watersheds and includes 16 fish-bearing lakes that support clean water, traditional harvesting and food security for nearby communities. Its mixed-wood forests also provide important habitat for more than 12 species at risk while strengthening the region’s resilience to wildfire and a changing climate.

Taiga Forest and Peatlands

South of Kapuskasing, we’re protecting 81,475 hectares of connected forests and ancient peatlands that form one of Canada’s largest and most carbon rich conservation areas. Together, these ecosystems store carbon equivalent to the annual emissions of 34 million cars, while continuing to capture more carbon each year.

As a registered carbon project, Taiga Forests and Peatlands will generate additional investment used to conserve and care for properties across Canada.