How Boreal Forests Renew After Wildfires

Gillj stone has been studying boreal forest ecology for decades. A changing climate means wildfire is becoming more severe. It's burning off the organic layer of soil that supports species like black spruce. After a severe fire, the environment is better suited for deciduous tree species like birch and aspen to foothold. These trees grow much faster. Johnstone says new kind of boreal forest is storing carbon four times faster than it would have before it burned.