2011 - Boreal Forest Toonie

2011
Boreal Forest Toonie
The two-dollar circulation coin celebrating Canada's boreal forest coincides with the United Nations declaration of 2011 as the International Year of the Forest.
The boreal forest is the world's largest ecosystem, which covers over half of Canada's landmass, from New Brunswick to the Northwest Territories and Yukon. As depicted through artistic interpretations of different tree species on the reverse of this circulation coin, the boreal forest landscape is defined by coniferous and hardy deciduous trees adapted to long winters and short growing seasons.


Some 15% of our total population – including 80% of members of Canada’s First Nations – live within the boreal forest, along with countless species of flora and fauna.


Our boreal forest’s size and qualities as a habitat make it an indispensible resource for the conservation of Canadian wildlife: its soil absorbs and holds more carbon per hectare than any other ecosystem in the world. By keeping carbon dioxide – a harmful greenhouse gas – from escaping into the atmosphere, our boreal forest plays an important role in protecting our global environment and preserving habitats for living beings everywhere.