Tree losses alarming - Brockville Recorder and Times - Ontario, CA

"Hunter told the mayors and reeves who make up the committee that forests are important to the region's ecosystem, economy and lifestyle.

'We need forest cover to promote genetic diversity,' he explained. 'We need . . . to reverse the trend.'

Forests absorb greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, filter out toxins from rainwater before it falls in local rivers and lakes, and moderate temperatures, he said.

Eastern Ontario has more than 7,000 forest-related jobs, making it an important part of the regional economy, a fact sometimes lost on provincial leaders.

'The Ministry of Natural Resources is pouring a lot of money into northern Ontario but none into southern Ontario. We need to remind them that there is a forest industry here,' Hunter said.

Forests are also popular places for recreational activities such as hiking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding and geocaching, he noted"