Natural Vegetation

No other trees are as well adapted as the conifers to withstand such an inhospitable environment as the Siberian type of climate. The coniferous forest belts of Eurasia and North America are the richest sources of softwood for use in building construction, furniture, matches, paper and pulp, rayon and other branches of the chemical industry, The world's greatest softwood producers are U.S.S.R, U.S.A., Canada and the Fenoscandian countries (Finland, Norway and Sweden). In the field of newsprint, Canada has outstripped all other producers, accounting for almost half of the world's total annual production. There are four major species in the coniferous forests – a) Pine, e.g. white pine, red pine, Scots pine, Jack pine,

b) Fir, e.g., Douglas fir and balsam fir, c) Spruce and d) Larch.

Economy: The coniferous forest regions of the northern hemisphere are comparatively little developed. Only in the more accessible areas are the forests cleared for lumbering. There is little agriculture, as few crops can survive in the sub-Arctic climate of these northerly lands. Many of the Samoyeds and Yakuts of Siberia, and some Canadians are engaged in hunting, trapping and fishing.