Look to the Forest

The Canadian forest with science on its side--a fascinating look at recent developments that aid and sometimes improve on nature. Turning a Newfoundland bog into woodland, fostering British Columbia seedlings that withstand mechanical planting, inoculating Ontario elms against the bark beetle, devising ways of controlling the arch enemy, fire--these are some of the many experiments shown being carried out in laboratories and in the field to protect and conserve Canada's vast forest reserves.

This film dispels the myth that Canada has an inexhaustable supply of usable wood. It documents the use and misuse of forest resources in northern Ontario, and the efforts of government and industry to find better ways to grow a second forest. However, the problem is not just a northern one. The crisis threatens the forest industry, creator of one out of ten Canadian jobs.

The Forest Watchers tells us some remarkable things about one of our great natural resources. For example, although nearly one half of Canada is forest, by the end of the century the supply might fall short of the demand. The film explains why, and describes what is being done to stem the disaster. Methods range from trekking through the forest on foot to the use of highly sophisticated technology. The data compiled are far from reassuring. Is there time to salvage this fast-dying resource?