National Forest Week is sponsored across Canada by the CFA and regionally by various provincial forestry agencies, corporations, agencies and individuals.

2008 National Forest Week: September 21 to 27

2007 Theme: Canada's Forests - Tradition and Transition
2007 MEDIA RELEASE
Focus on Urban Trees as Canada Marks
National Forest Week: September 23 to 29

From crowded cities to spacious countryside, events across the country will celebrate the role and importance of their forests during National Forest Week, September 23-29, 2007.

And the forests being celebrated aren’t all the usual suspects -- vast tracts of wilderness filled with towering evergreens. Increasingly, they include urban forests as municipalities devote greater resources to tree planting for reasons ranging from esthetics to better water and air for city dwellers.

Indeed, Oakville, Ontario, in the industrial core of the nation, has been designated the Forest Capital of Canada for 2007, to be officially celebrated Sept. 24.

National Forest Week originated in 1920 as Forest Fire Prevention Week and evolved into National Forest Week in 1967, reflecting growing appreciation of the environmental, human, economic, urban and rural dimensions of forest resources.

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History
Established circa 1920 as Forest Fire Prevention Week, the intention was to encourage greater public awareness towards Canada's forests. At the time, there was no apparent shortage of trees for industrial expansion – the greatest threat came from forest fires, due mainly to human causes.

Since then National Forest Week, as it was renamed in 1967, has evolved to encompass the many and varied human and environmental aspects of Canada's forest resources – past, present and future.

Although special activities are promoted across Canada, National Forest Week remains first and foremost a challenge to individual Canadians to learn more about their forest heritage and support greater recognition of this valuable resource.

National Forest Week is observed annually during the last full week of September, Sunday through Saturday.

How to Participate in National Forest Week
- arrange a tree planting: www.treecanada.ca
- take a walk in woods nearby and get to know your forest
- care for a newly planted or neglected tree, and study its species
- identify all the things at home or school that are made of wood
- learn about organizations that demonstrate sustainable forest management
- tour a forest sector industry or processing site
- learn about the prevention of forest fires
- contact a provincial forestry association for teaching materials

Register Your National Forest Week Event