Canadian forests play an immense role in shaping the global climate. Forest resource management is one of the most important economic sectors in Quebec, the second largest Canadian province. 86 per cent of the forest resources are public. Legal regulations, especially the Forest Act, match the principles of UN environmental regulations. Fire is the largest threat to Quebec forests. Forty million dollars are spent on fire protection, 85 per cent of which is spent on prevention, fire detection, etc.
Many Swedes are deeply interested in preserving tropical forests, but they are not aware of the threat to the most valuable forested areas in their own country. Mountain forests in Northern Sweden with their especially valuable original vegetation are endangered. The profits from the exploitation of mountain forest are very small, but imposing any constraints on forest management in Sweden is not easy as it is still the main source of national income.
Placing the whole Białowieski National Park under the highest form of protection is indispensable due to the threat of the irreversible loss of unique elements of biodiversity related to the occurrence of advanced developmental stages of natural tree stands. Such a loss would also involve wasting the possibility of renatulisation of the Białowiesk Forest and its significance as the European gene and information bank on natural processes. Extending the Białowieski National Park is also a great challenge if existing economic and social problems of the region are considered. The status of the national park for the whole Białowieski Forest would foster economic and social revitalisation of underdeveloped municipalities. False information disseminated by those interested in not extending the Park spoils a substantive discussion on actual issues of the Białowieska Forest.