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PROTECTING CANADA'S FORESTS What was your inspiration behind getting into photography?
Paul Zizka Canadian National Parks Photographer
Photography, for me, started as a way of simply documenting the places I was visiting. But as I spent more time in the wilderness, it became increasingly apparent that humans have become disconnected from the natural environment. What inspires me to continue with photography is the opportunity to invite people to go back to the wilderness through my images and to be reminded of what the natural world adds to one's life.
Which forest is your personal favourite to take photography of? I'm continually drawn to revisit the larch forests of the Canadian Rockies during "larch
season" — a brief window when the needles of these deciduous conifers turn from green to gold. The phenomenon adds a fiery splash of colour to the landscape and provides a stunning contrast to our turquoise lakes. Capturing this fleeting phenomenon before the trees drop their needles adds an element of excitement and reminds me to appreciate nature's rhythms.
Why do you believe the concept of sustainable tourism is so important to follow? I want my children and future generations to experience and be inspired by these landscapes. For instance, I want them to grow up seeing hanging glaciers on the Icefields Parkway here in the Rockies rather than bearing the consequences of the inaction of those who came before them. So I think sustainable tourism is crucial for fostering
Q& A WITH
Paul Zizka Mediaplanet spoke with Canadian National Parks photographer Paul Zizka on his passion for photography and love for Canada's natural beauty and forests. a deeper connection to nature, which motivates people to protect it in return.
What time of the year do you prefer best to capture outdoor photography? Each season has something magical, but I've always been drawn to winter photography. Between ice formations, frozen lakes, methane bubbles, ice caves, and more frequent northern lights displays, there's a lot that captures the imagination. I also find winter photography rewarding, given the unique set of challenges that it presents.
Where can we go to learn more about your work? I invite those who wish to learn more about my work to visit my website zizka.ca, or connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Visit zizka.ca for more information.
We Don’t Just Plant Trees — We Grow Forests Having planted millions of trees across Canada and created tens of thousands of hectares of new forest cover, Forests Ontario is on a mission to combat climate change. Rob Keen
Rob Keen Registered Professional Forester, CEO of Forests Ontario and Forest Recovery Canada
Visit forestsontario.ca to learn more. This article was sponsored by Forests Ontario
S
ince 2004, Forests Ontario and its partners have developed the infrastructure needed to facilitate and track tree planting across Ontario from seed to successful forest — and we are the only charitable organization in Canada to have that ability. To put it simply, we don’t just plant trees, we grow forests. To date, we've planted 42 million trees across Canada, creating more than 20,500 hectares of new forests on over 8,000 sites. We also recognize the vital importance and function of grasslands, resulting in the addition of Grasslands Ontario to our organization in 2018. Our efforts to increase, conserve, and maintain forests and grasslands help to clean the air we breathe and filter the water we drink while improving the biodiversity of our ecosystems and nurturing pollinator corridors. In fact, creating healthy new forests and grasslands is one of the most effective,
nature-based solutions we have in combating climate change impacts. Working in collaboration with our professional network of partners, Forests Ontario is recognized for its unique ability to measure the success of the trees we plant. A 2021 study from Natural Resources Canada validated Forests Ontario’s successful afforestation outcomes, noting 83 per cent of the total hectares planted through our landmark 50 Million Tree Program is thriving, and will sequester significant amounts of carbon over the lifetime of these new forests. To ensure our ability to keep planting the right tree, in the right place, and for the right reason, Forests Ontario has more than 200 million source-identified seeds in storage for future planting projects — a direct result of working closely with our network of certified seed collectors and nursery partners to forecast, collect, process, and store seed and monitor seedling health once planted. This
essential infrastructure, together with our expertise to track the succe s s of the trees we plant, ensures a greener and healthier future for generations to come. While human activity has contributed to the greatest environmental challenges we've ever faced, there's still time to do something about it, but we must act now. With a worldwide focus on sustainable solutions to climate change, we not only hope to inspire a healthy tomorrow for communities around the globe, but also contribute to real change, now.
Forests Ontario COO, Elizabeth Celanowicz, with Larch tree planted in 2015 as part of the 50 Million Tree Program.
Publisher: Aman Dosanjh Business Development Manager: Melanie Kosev Country Manager: Nina Theodorlis Content & Production Manager: Raymond Fan Designer: Giuliana Bandiera Lead Editor: Karthik Talwar All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve The National Post or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to ca.editorial@mediaplanet.com.
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