Fire as a tool, fire as a teacher

The trees in Pukaskwa National Park are getting old, and the forest is less diverse and less healthy as a result. The cause in part is decades of fire suppression – a decision that slowly changed forest composition and hampered forest renewal. That’s because many species rely on fire to thrive – jack pine seeds are released only when exposed to intense heat – and lots of wildlife come along for the ride; for example, black-backed woodpeckers feed on wood-boring insects found in burned forests. In response to a noticeable decline in forest health, Parks Canada started to light controlled or “prescribed” fires in Pukaskwa starting in the late 1990s, actively restoring the forest landscape. This change in strategy has also been used as a teaching opportunity; park visitors and others can now learn about the vital function of fire in forest renewal.