CHARLOTTETOWN – Prince Edward Island forests emit more carbon than they absorb, a consequence of the damage caused after post-tropical storm Fiona made landfall almost two years ago.
In a new report, the provincial government says all the fallen trees after the September 2022 storm are decomposing and releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The report says about 9.4 per cent — roughly 24,300 hectares — of forested area in the province was significantly impacted by the storm, and that it will take at least 50 years for forests to be restored to their pre-Fiona state.
Matt Angus, P.E.I. forestry inventory analyst, says projections indicate the Island could return to a carbon sink — where trees absorb more carbon dioxide than they produce — around 2045.
Angus says a major concern is whether all that land covered in dead trees will become a breeding ground for future forest fires.
But he says forest officials are noticing promising regeneration on the ground, with many areas showing bright green growth already.
Fiona affected all areas of P.E.I. when it made landfall on Sept. 24, 2022, though forests on the eastern part of the Island and on the North Shore were hit the hardest.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2024.
