Lesson video

Hello, and welcome.

My name is Ms. Harrison.

I'm so excited to be learning with you today.

Today's lesson is called Creating and Protecting Wilderness Areas in the Taiga Biome.

Grab everything you might need for today's lesson and let's begin our learning.

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to explain challenges of creating, and maintaining wilderness areas in the Taiga.

Before we can do this, we need to define the keywords that we'll be using throughout today's lesson.

The keywords in today's lesson are wilderness areas and sustainable.

Wilderness areas.

These are large, undisturbed natural areas protected to preserve biodiversity and natural processes.

Sustainable.

This is when we are able to meet present needs without harming future generation's ability to meet theirs.

Now that we've defined these keywords, we can begin our learning.

The first question we're going to explore in today's lesson is why does the Taiga need protecting? The Taiga is crucial for both people and the environment to providing a range of essential benefits.

It acts as a massive carbon sink, absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide and helping slow climate change.

It supports biodiversity, providing habitats for species such as wolves and bears, while also serving as a major component of the water cycle, storing and filtering fresh water through its rivers, lakes and wetlands.

Additionally, the Taigas also home to indigenous communities who depend on its resources for traditional hunting, fishing and cultural practises.

Economically, the Taiga provides valuable natural resources such as timber, paper and minerals, supporting industries and employment.

The Taiga also plays a key role in climate regulation, influencing weather patterns and maintaining global temperature balance.

However, human activities like logging, mining and fossil fuel extraction threaten its sustainability, making conservation efforts increasingly important.

Despite its importance, the Taiga faces serious threats from human activities.

Deforestation from logging and paper production reduces tree cover, impacting wildlife and carbon storage.

Mining and oil extractions pollute rivers, harming aquatic life and ecosystems. Indigenous communities are often displaced, losing their land in traditional ways of life due to industrial expansion.

What does this graph tell us about the area of the Taiga Forest lost between 2001 and 2021? Pause the video here whilst do you take a closer look and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Like Izzy said, "It shows 3 million hectares have been lost in 2001 and 8.

55 million lost by 2021.

The net loss between 2001 and 2021 is 5.

5 million hectares of forest, which is a significant amount of forest to lose." Human activities such as deforestation and climate change are causing the permafrost in the Taiga to melt an alarming rate.

Permafrost is permanently frozen soil that has stored massive amounts of carbon for thousands of years.

When it thaws, this trapped carbon is released as carbon dioxide and methane, both of which are powerful greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.

The melting of permafrost not only accelerates climate change, but also disrupts the Taiga ecosystem.

As the ground softens trees can no longer anchor themselves properly, leading to forest dieback and habitat loss.

This affect wildlife like the caribou, lynx, and wolves who depend on the Taiga for survival.

Additionally, melting permafrost threatens human settlements, especially indigenous communities that have lived in the Taiga for generations.

Roads, buildings and infrastructure built on permafrost can collapse as the ground becomes unstable.

As temperatures continue to rise, the damage to both the environment and human populations is expected to worsen, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts.

True or false? The graph shows that deforestation increases each year in the Taiga Forest.

Pause video here was you decide if this statement is true or false, and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

This statement is false.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause here and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The reason why this statement is false is because while it is true to say that the area of the Taiga Forest has shrunk between 2001 and 2021, the graph shows that in some years, for example, around 2013 to 2015, the amount of Taiga Forest cover increased rather than decreased.

Well done if you managed to explain that correctly.

True or false? The Taiga does not need protection because human activities have little impact on animals and indigenous people in the region.

Pause the video here once you decide if this statement is true or false and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

This statement is false.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause here and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The reason why this is false is because the Taiga needs protection, because human activities such as mining and fossil fuel extraction lead to polluted rivers, habitat loss for animals and the displacement of indigenous people who rely on the land for survival.

Excellent work on explaining this.

Aisha has answered the question, does the Taiga need protecting? I would like you to correct the mistakes in her answer.

Pause the video here whilst you take a closer look at her answer and make the corrections and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

Your answer could look like this.

"The Taiga does need protecting because human activities like mining and fossil fuel extraction, pollute rivers, destroy habitats and displace indigenous people.

Many animals can't easily move, so the habitat is at risk." Fantastic work in this task.

We are now going to explore our second question of today's lesson.

How is the Taiga protected? The Taiga is protected in a number of different ways, through wilderness areas, national parks and sustainable forestry.

Wilderness areas are vast, untouched, natural landscapes that play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem balance.

These areas provide a safe haven for wildlife, protect natural water sources and help to regulate the climate by acting as carbon sinks.

Some wilderness areas, known as ecological reserves, have even stricter protections.

These reserves are completely close to the public to prevent human interference, allowing scientists and researchers to study the environment, track wildlife populations and monitor climate change without disruption.

By keeping these ecosystems undisturbed, wilderness areas support rare and endangered species, and they contribute to scientific research and help maintain the planet's natural balance.

In Canada, wilderness areas are a safeguard under the Wilderness Areas Protection Act, ensuring these landscapes remain untouched by human development.

The country has 55 designated wilderness spaces, each playing a vital role in protecting biodiversity, water sources and carbon storage.

One of the most remote and pristine regions is the Yukon Wilderness.

This vast area is home to towering mountains, winding rivers, and a diverse range of wildlife, including wolves, caribou, and grizzly bears.

By preserving these wilderness areas, Canada helps maintain essential habitats, supports indigenous cultures, and contributes to global conservation efforts.

What is the primary aim of establishing wildness areas? Is it A, to promote tourism, B, to protect ecosystems and biodiversity, C, to allow for resource extraction, or D, to support agriculture? Pauses video here whilst you give this task a go and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The answer is B, to protect ecosystems and biodiversity.

Well done on this task.

National parks are government-protected areas that conserve landscapes, wildlife, and ecosystems while allowing public access for recreation.

Activities like hiking, camping, and wildlife watching are encouraged, but hunting and fishing are strictly regulated to protect biodiversity.

Extractive industries such as mining and logging are banned to prevent environmental damage.

Banff National Park established in 1885 is Canada's oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It's known for its stunning mountain scenery, glaciers, and diverse wildlife.

It attracts millions of visitors each year while maintaining a strict conservation efforts to preserve its natural beauty.

Canada has 38 national parks and 10 national park reserves.

All of these are managed by Parks Canada.

These protected areas help to conserve wildlife ecosystem and cultural heritage while allowing for sustainable tourism and recreation.

Which Canadian National Park is the oldest national park? Is it A, Banff National Park, B, Jasper National Park, C, Wood Buffalo National Park, or D Yellowstone National Park? Pause the video here whilst you give this task a go and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The answer is A, Banff National Park.

Excellent work.

Sustainable forestry aims to balance the need for timber and other forest resources with the need to protect the forest ecosystem.

It ensures that forests can continue to provide resources and ecological services like carbon storage, water filtration, and wildlife habitats over the long term.

Practises such as selective logging help minimise environmental damage by targeting only specific trees rather than clear cutting large areas.

Reforestation involves planting new trees after logging, which helps restore the forest and maintain biodiversity.

Sustainable forestry also focuses on retaining soil health, protecting their water quality and preventing over exploitation of forest resources, making sure the forest can generate naturally.

By adopting these practises, forests can continue to meet their human needs without compromising their ability to support ecosystems for future generations.

The Boreal Forest Platform is a collaborative initiative that brings together companies like IKEA and environmental organisations such as WWF to ensure that the timber used by manufacturers is sourced responsibly.

The platform aims to prevent logging practises that cause unsustainable damage to the Taiga Forests and their habitats, promoting sustainable forestry and protecting the health of the ecosystem.

By working together, businesses and environmental groups strive to create a more sustainable supply chain and reduce the negative impact of logging on the Taiga.

True or false? National parks in Canada allow unrestricted access to activities like logging and hunting.

Pause the video here was Do you decide if this statement is true or false and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

This answer is false.

I would now like you to explain why this answer is false.

Pause the video here and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

National Parks regulate activities like hunting to make sure wildlife numbers and habitats are maintained.

Activities like logging or mining are prohibited in national parks.

Excellent on this task.

What is the main purpose of sustainable forestry? Is it A, to clear land for agriculture that can feed the population in a sustainable way, B, to extract resources without harming the forest's ability to regenerate, C, to increase industrial development in forests that local economies are made sustainable, or D, to create new areas for urban expansion? Pause the video here whilst you decide if this statement is true or false and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The answer is B, to extract resources without harming the forest's ability to regenerate.

Well done on this task.

I would now like you to complete the word fill using the words below.

The text is about how the Taiga is protected.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

Let's check our answer.

Your answer should read like this.

"Public access is strictly limited in wilderness areas because their aim is to preserve ecosystems and biodiversity by preventing human activities completely.

In national parks, public recreation is allowed, but activities like fishing and hunting are regulated.

Sustainable forestry focuses on forests responsibly while ensuring the forest can regenerate for future generations." Fantastic work on this task.

You've done excellently.

We're now going to explore our final question of today's lesson.

What are the challenges with protecting the Taiga? The Taiga is a challenging area to manage for a number of reasons.

Accessibility, economic activity, climate change, funding and enforcement, indigenous rights to land and replanting.

Let's now take a closer look at all of these.

Accessibility.

The Taiga's extreme winters with temperatures often dropping to minus 40 degrees combined with its remote vast landscape, make it challenging to create and maintain protected areas.

The lack of infrastructure in these areas further increases the cost and difficulty of conservation efforts.

In the summer months, the situation becomes even more complicated.

As permafrost melts, it softens the ground, making it difficult to access certain regions and monitor the health of the ecosystem.

Additionally, the thawing of permafrost can cause the damage to the habitat, releasing previously trapped greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide, which further exacerbates the effects of climate change.

All these factors make conservation in the Taiga a complex and resource-intensive task.

The Nahanni National Park Reserve is one of the most challenging areas to manage because of its isolation, difficult terrain, extreme weather conditions and limited road access.

The park's rugged landscape and a harsh climate make it difficult for conservation teams to monitor and protect the area, while its remote location adds logistical challenges for researchers and park management.

True or false? It's easy to monitor and protect all areas of the Taiga because they're easily accessible all year round.

Pause the video here whilst you decide if this statement is true or false and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

This statement is false.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause here and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The reason why this is false is because some areas like those in the Yukon are difficult to access year round due to harsh weather conditions, which makes monitoring and enforcement challenging.

Well done on this task.

You've done brilliantly.

Human activities such as logging, mining and oil extraction often clash with conservation goals as they lead to deforestation, habitat destruction and pollution.

These industries are in high demand locally because they provide jobs in economic growth, but the long-term environmental consequences can be devastating.

For example, logging can result in the loss of biodiversity while mining can cause soil degradation and water contamination.

Oil extraction can contribute to air pollution and damage ecosystems, threatening wildlife and plant species.

While economic growth is important, it is essential to find a balance that allows for development without compromising the health of the environment and sustainability of natural resources.

As you can see on the image, the Tar Sands in Alberta, Canada, provides 140,000 jobs.

Why do economic pressures make it difficult to create protected areas in the Taiga? Is it A, the land is unproductive and lacks resources, B, industries such as logging and oil are financially important, C, there are no economic activities in the Taiga, and D protected areas bring large amounts of tourism revenue? Pause the video here whilst you decide which statement is correct for this answer and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The answer is B, Industries such as logging and oil are financially important.

Well done on this task.

Climate change is having a profound effect on the Taiga, making conservation efforts even more challenging.

One major issue is the melting of the permafrost, which not only releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere contributing to further global warming, but also alters the natural habitat, affecting plant and animal life.

Additionally, warmer temperatures lead to more frequent and intense wildfires which destroy vast areas of the forest and release even more carbon.

These rising temperatures also enable new pests and diseases to spread into the Taiga, putting further stress on already vulnerable ecosystems. As a result, the Taiga's ability to regenerate and maintain biodiversity is increasingly compromised, making it harder to protect this vital biome.

In the Yukon in Canada, thawing permafrost is causing significant environmental damage.

As the permafrost melts, it disrupts forests and habitats, endangering local wildlife.

Additionally, this thawing process releases carbon dioxide, contributing to global warming and further destabilising the region's delicate ecosystem.

True or false? Climate change does not affect the challenges of protecting areas in the Taiga.

Pause the video here once you decide if this statement is true or false, and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

This answer is false.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause the video here and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The reason why the statement is false is because climate change can drastically impact Taiga ecosystems, for example, by increasing the frequency and intensity of forest fires and by spreading new pests to trees, which challenges the maintenance of protected areas.

Excellent work in explaining that.

Protecting large and remote areas such as the Taiga or other wilderness regions is challenging and an expensive task.

These areas are often far from urban centres, making it difficult to monitor and enforce regulations.

To ensure conservation efforts are effective, a significant amount of funding is required for regular patrols, surveillance and implementation of laws.

However, limited resources can hinder these efforts, leading to illegal activities like poaching, illegal logging, and land clearing.

Without proper enforcement, these harmful practises continue unchecked, putting biodiversity and ecosystems at risk.

Wood Buffalo National Park located in northern Alberta and the Southern Northwest Territories is one of the largest and most ecologically significant protected areas in Canada.

However, the park faces severe challenges in terms of funding and staffing.

With vast expanses of land covering over 44,000 square kilometres, it is difficult to monitor and protect all areas effectively.

Limited financial resources result in fewer rangers and enforcement officers, making it hard to prevent illegal activities such as poaching and unauthorised logging.

One of the most pressing concerns is the poaching of endangered species like the wood bison, which is seen in decline in population due to illegal hunting and disease.

Additionally, the park's remote location and lack of infrastructure make it difficult to quickly respond to illegal activities or environmental threats.

Without adequate resources, the park struggles to conduct essential conservation research and habitat restoration efforts.

This results in the continued erosion of biodiversity and long-term damage to the park's delicate ecosystem.

Sustainable funding and better staffing are essential to protect the park's unique natural heritage.

True or false? Creating protected areas in remote regions like the Taiga is easy because the land is sparsely populated.

Pause the video here whilst you decide if this statement is true or false and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

This statement is false.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause the video here and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The reason why the statement is false is because while the land may be sparsely populated, its remoteness makes it difficult to access, monitor and enforce protection measures, which adds complexity to establishing and maintaining protected areas.

Fantastic work on this task.

You've done brilliantly.

When protected areas are established, indigenous communities may face restrictions on their rights to hunt fish or access land, which are essential to their traditional way of life.

These areas, although crucial for conservation, can lead to a loss of livelihoods and cultural practises that are deeply tied to the land.

Moreover, banned on activities like mining, logging, or other forms of resource extraction within these protected zones can limit economic opportunities for indigenous people, especially in areas where these industries are vital for income and employment.

This creates difficult balance between preserving ecosystems and respecting the rights of indigenous communities who have lived on the land for generations.

Addressing these conflicts requires collaboration, ensuring that indigenous voices are heard and their rights to manage their ancestral land are respected while still maintaining effective conservation efforts.

Indigenous groups in the Yukon have a deep cultural connection to the land, with traditional knowledge passed down through generations.

Their involvement in management of protected areas ensures that their land is managed in a way that respects their cultural practises, such as hunting, fishing and gathering.

Collaborative management also allows indigenous communities to have a voice in decisions about land use and conservation, ensuring that both biodiversity and their way of life is preserved.

This approach not only protects the natural environment, but also helps to ensure that indigenous communities can continue their traditional practises which are vital for their cultural identity.

For example, indigenous communities in the Yukon have been actively involved in managing the land around the porcupine caribou hards migration route.

This partnership between indigenous groups, government agencies and environmental organisations helps create a more sustainable and respectful approach to land conservation.

Taiga trees grow very slowly due to the region's cold temperatures and nutrient-poor soil, making forest regeneration a long and difficult process.

Replanted forests can often consist of a single tree species known as a monoculture plantation, which lack biodiversity of plants and animal species found in natural forests.

This reduces the overall ecological value and resilience of the area.

Furthermore, soil damage caused by logging such as compaction or erosion combined with pollution from activities like mining, make it even harder for the forest to regenerate naturally.

These environmental stresses prevent the growth of healthy biodiverse ecosystems, ultimately affecting the long-term health and function of the Taiga.

What is an issue with sustainable forestry in the Taiga? Is it A, it increases biodiversity by encouraging a wider variety of tree species, B, it can lead to monocultures, reducing biodiversity and making ecosystems less resilient, C, it prevents any trees from being harvested, stopping economic development, or D, it has no impact on the natural ecosystem since trees grow back quickly? Pause the video here whilst you decide and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent work.

The answer is B, it can lead to monocultures, reducing biodiversity and making ecosystems less resilient.

Fantastic work.

Why can land use conflicts arise when creating protected areas in the Taiga? Is it A, many areas have no economic value, B, the land is not fertile enough for farming, C, the land is mostly uninhabited, or D, indigenous groups and industries may have competing interests? Pause the video here whilst you decide and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The answer is D, indigenous groups and industries may have competing interests.

Well done on this task.

A local government office would like a report on the challenges with managing wilderness areas, national parks and sustainable forestry in Canada.

Aisha has said that she's going to talk about funding.

Conservation requires a lot of money that governments don't always have.

And Izzy has said, "Replanting trees takes a long time for results to be seen, which can make it hard to manage." She's correct.

And in summary, panting schemes only use one type of tree species, which creates monoculture plantations.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task and press Play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's check our answers.

Your answer could have included some of the following points.

Managing wilderness areas, national parks and sustainable forestry in Canada faces several challenges.

Firstly, remote locations make monitoring and enforcement difficult, especially in isolated protected areas where illegal activities like logging or poaching can occur undetected.

Slow reforestation is another issue, as forests take decades to recover from logging, making it difficult to balance conservation with resource extraction.

Economic pressures from industries like oil, gas and logging often conflict with conservation goals, making land protection harder.

Additionally, indigenous communities may have land rights to protected areas, and their rights may be restricted by national parks or wilderness area laws.

In conclusion, managing these areas requires addressing challenges like remote locations, slow regrowth, economic pressures, and land use conflicts, with increased investment, technology and cooperation needed for long-term protection.

Fantastic work on this task.

I'm sure you've done brilliantly.

We've now come to the end of our learning on Creating and Protecting Wilderness Areas in the Taiga, and you've done fantastically.

Before we end this lesson, let's summarise everything we've learned today.

The Taiga Biome, often referred to as the Boreal Forest, plays an essential role in the global climate system by acting as a significant carbon sink, absorbing large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere.

This helps mitigate the impact of climate change.

In addition, it's important in carbon storage.

The Taiga is rich in biodiversity, providing a habitat for a wide range of species, including caribou, wolves, bears and various bird species.

For indigenous communities, the Taiga is not only a source of livelihood, but also integral part of that culture, traditions and spirituality.

However, the Taiga faces several serious threats.

Deforestation caused by logging, mining and oil extraction is rapidly reducing its size, which in turn threatens biodiversity and disrupts the ecological balance.

The increasing frequency and severity of wildfires exacerbated by climate change, destroy vast areas of the Taiga, further threatening wildlife habitats and releasing significant amounts of CO2, which accelerates global warming.

Additionally, climate change itself is having a direct effect on the Taiga causing permafrost to thaw, which disrupts ecosystems and releases even more carbon, creating a dangerous feedback loop.

To help protect the Taiga, many wilderness areas, national parks and sustainable forestry initiatives have been established.

These protected areas are crucial for conserving ecosystems and maintaining resources on which local communities and wildlife depend.

For instance, sustainable forestry practises such as selective logging and replanting trees aim to preserve the health of the forest while allowing for timber harvesting.

National parks and wilderness areas provide safe havens for biodiversity and cultural preservation, ensuring that future generations can experience and benefit from the Taiga's natural resources.

Despite these efforts, creating and managing protected areas in the Taiga comes with significant challenges.

Economic pressures such as the demand for resources like timber, minerals and oil often conflict with conservation goals.

Land use conflicts arise when industries or agricultural activities encroach on protected areas, undermining conservation efforts.

The remote location of many Taiga's wilderness areas make monitoring and enforcement of protection laws difficult, and the harsh climate makes access and management even more challenging.

Additionally, the slow process of reforestation due to the Taiga's cold temperature and nutrient pool soils means that damaged ecosystems take a long time to recover, further complicating efforts to protect the biome.

The combination of these factors make it imperative to find a balance between conservation, economic development, and indigenous rights to ensure long-term survival of the Taiga and all who depend on it.

Well done on today's lesson.

You've done fantastically, and I can't wait to learn with you again very soon.