March 21, 2025
International Day of Forests and Water
This week, we come together to honour two of the planet’s most vital resources—forests and water. Today, on International Day of Forests, we highlight the critical importance of protecting our forests. Tomorrow, for World Water Day, we shift our focus to the protection and conservation of water. These days serve as a powerful reminder that the actions we take today will directly impact future generations. It’s up to us to conserve these essential resources for the health of the Earth and those who come after us.
Join us as we explore fascinating facts and simple ways you can contribute to the protection and conservation of forests and water for a sustainable future.
Manitoba Boreal Forest Facts
Lands and Waters:
- 75% of Manitoba is covered in boreal forest
- We are a part of the largest intact forest ecosystem remaining on the planet—45 million hectares, or 5.45 million square kms (1.3 billion acres). Learn More
- 53% landmass
- It encompasses almost 53 percent of Canada’s total landmass and includes 90 percent of Canada’s remaining intact forest landscapes.
- 20% of the world’s remaining closed-canopy forests
- This is significant given the rate at which deforestation is impacting most forests around the world.
- 19 billion tonnes of carbon is stored in boreal soils, peat and forests
- This is equivalent to nearly 100 years’ worth of Canada’s CO2 GHG emissions.
- 50% needs to be protected in order to maintain biodiversity and the benefits of clean air and water
- Conservation areas must be large enough to accommodate range shifts due to climate change and natural forest fires. Learn More
- 25% of the world’s wetlands
- The boreal forest have more surface water than any other continental-scale landscape. Learn More
- Contains one-third of the world’s total peatlands
- This peatland stores 147 billion tonnes of carbon, storing twice as much carbon as tropical forests.
- Flood Protection:
- In addition to carbon storage, it is critical as a natural form of flood protection as forests and wetlands absorb surface water runoff.
- Purify
- It purifies the water we drink and the air we breathe.
- 70% of Indigenous Communities in the country are located in forested regions.
- 600 Indigenous Communities rely on the Boreal Forest. The Boreal Forest provides food, medicine, cultural tradition and economic prosperity.
- It supports Indigenous traditional and subsistence use that carry significant cultural, spiritual, economic and social subsistence values.
Economy:
- Wood:
- The boreal first is the only forest that contains soft timber wood- necessary for paper production. The boreal forest alone has 3 trillion trees
- Jobs:
- Canada’s boreal forest creates jobs for Canadians, and communities in the boreal zone rely heavily on the forest sector for economic stability.
Species of the Boreal:
- Hundreds of trees:
- Dominant tree species include: White and Black Spruce, Jack Pine, Tamarack, Balsam Fir, Balsam Poplar, White Birch, and Trembling Aspen.
- 100-300 million birds:
- This includes over 250 species, which all breed in the Manitoban boreal forest. Learn More
- 150 kilometres of polar bear dens:
- Polar bear dens stretch the edge of the Manitoban boreal forest each fall. Learn More
Manitoba Water facts
- Drinking Water:
- Winnipeg’s drinking water comes from Shoal Lake, which is part of the Lake of the Woods. It is a large isolated lake in the southeast corner of Manitoba, at the Manitoba-Ontario border.
- Marl Lake:
- Little Limestone Lake, located approximately 450 Km north of Winnipeg, along the highway to Thompson, Manitoba, is the biggest and best marl, colour-changing lake in the world!
- Water Protection:
- Protecting water quality is essential to ensure that water is available for all current and future designated uses and ecosystem needs. Manitoba has strong water protection legislation that regulates nutrient application and restricts development in environmentally sensitive areas and has established water quality standards objectives and guidelines to protect our valuable water resources.
Types of Water:
- Rivers:
- There is many different rivers in Manitoba. See the full list here.
- Water Basins:
- Manitoba’s landscape is divided into several different basins. A basin is defined as an area of land which drains into a major river system or water body. Basins in southern Manitoba include the Red River, the Assiniboine River, Lake Manitoba, Lake Winnipeg, the Saskatchewan River and the Winnipeg River Basins. Basins are made up of multiple watersheds.
- Watersheds:
- Manitoba recognizes the importance of bringing all perspectives from a watershed together to discuss how best to manage the land, water and biodiversity. Learn More
- There are many different watershed districts within Manitoba. See them here.
- Wetlands:
- The largest area of wetlands in any ecosystem in the world is found in the Canadian boreal region, containing more lakes and rivers than any similarly sized landmass on earth!
Water by the Numbers:
- 100,000 lakes
- We are home to over 100,000 lakes including Lake Winnipeg, Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipegosis and surface water covers approximately 16 percent of the province. This is essential to support and sustain healthy aquatic ecosystems.
- Largest lake:
- Lake Winnipeg is the 10th largest lake in the world by surface area.
How to Learn More:
Along with our in line links, check out these to learn more about forests and water.