NORTH AMERICA AND LUMBERING IN CANADA (2) PDF

Anmol Srivastava

Acknowledgement

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my
teacher Mrs. Chaitali Chatterjee as well as our principal Mrs. Abha
Anant who gave me the golden opportunity to do this wonderful
project on the topic North America and its physical features, which

also helped me in doing a lot of Research and I came to know
about so many new things I am really thankful to them.

Secondly I would also like to thank my parents and friends who
helped me a lot in finalizing this project within the limited time

frame.

WHO WAS ALFRED WEGENER
Alfred Wegener was a German
meteorologist, geophysicist and polar
researcher. In 1915 he published 'The
Origin of Continents and Oceans',
which outlined his theory of
Continental Drift.

Formation of Continents
About 480 million years ago, most
continents were scattered chunks of
land lying along or south of
the Equator. Millions of years of
continuous tectonic activity changed
their positions, and by 240 million
years ago, almost all of the world’s
land was joined in a single, huge
continent. Geologists call
this supercontinent Pangaea, which
means “all lands” in Greek. By about
200 million years ago, the forces that
helped form Pangaea caused the
supercontinent to begin to break
apart. The pieces of Pangaea that
began to move apart were the
beginnings of the continents that we
know today.

A giant landmass that would become
Europe, Asia, and North America
separated from another mass that would
split up into other continents. In time,
Antarctica and Australia, still joined
together, broke away and drifted south.
The small piece of land that would
become the peninsula of India broke
away and for millions of years moved
north as a large island. It eventually
collided with Asia. Gradually, the
different landmasses moved to their
present locations.
The positions of the continents are
always changing. North America and
Europe are moving away from each
other at the rate of about 2.5 centimeters
(one inch) per year. If you could visit the
planet in the future, you might find that
part of the United States’ state of
California had separated from North
America and become an island. Africa
might have split in two along the Great
Rift Valley. It is even possible that
another supercontinent may form
someday.

Plate tectonic Force
A tectonic plate (also
called lithospheric plate) is
a massive, irregularly
shaped slab of solid rock,
generally composed of both
continental and oceanic
lithosphere. ... By contrast,
oceanic crust is composed of
basaltic rocks, which are
much denser and heavier.

INTRODUCTION
North America is a continent entirely
within the Northern Hemisphere and
almost all within the Western
Hemisphere. It can also be described as a
northern subcontinent of the Americas,
or America, in models that use fewer
than seven continents. It is bordered to
the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east
by the Atlantic Ocean, to the west and
south by the Pacific Ocean, and to the
southeast by South America and
the Caribbean Sea
North America covers an area of about
24,709,000 square kilometers (9,540,000
square miles), about 16.5% of
the earth's land area and about 4.8% of
its total surface. North America is the
third-largest continent by area,
following Asia and Africa, and
the fourth by population after Asia,
Africa, and Europe.

Countries of North
America


Physical Features
North America, the third-largest continent,
extends from the tiny Aleutian Islands in
the northwest to the Isthmus of Panama in
the south. The continent includes the
enormous island of Greenland in the
northeast and the small island countries
and territories that dot the Caribbean Sea
and western North Atlantic Ocean. In the
far north, the continent stretches halfway
around the world, from Greenland to the
Aleutians. But at Panama’s narrowest part,
the continent is just 50 kilometers (31 miles)
across.

North America’s physical geography,
environment and resources, and human
geography can be considered separately.
North America can be divided into five
physical regions: the mountainous west,
the Great Plains, the Canadian Shield,
the varied eastern region, and the
Caribbean. Mexico and Central
America’s western coast are connected
to the mountainous west, while its
lowlands and coastal plains extend into
the eastern region.
Within these regions are all the major
types of biomes in the world. A biome is
a community of animals and plants
spreading over an extensive area with a
relatively uniform climate. Some diverse
biomes represented in North America
include desert, grassland, tundra, and
coral reefs.

Western Cordillera
Young mountains rise in the west. The most
familiar of these mountains are probably the
Rockies, North America’s largest chain. The
Rockies stretch from the province of British
Columbia, Canada, to the U.S. state of New
Mexico.
The Rocky Mountains are part of a system
of parallel mountain ranges known as the
Cordilleras. A cordillera is a long series of
mountain ranges. Although cordilleras exist
all over the world, in North America, “the
Cordilleras” indicate the massive mountain
ranges in the western part of the continent.
The Cordilleras extend from Canada all the
way to the Isthmus of Panama.
The Sierra Madre mountain system is part
of the Cordilleras. The Sierra Madre stretch
from the southwestern United States to
Honduras. The Sierra Madre include many
high volcanoes (up to 5,636 meters, or
18,500 feet) that stretch across Mexico south
of the cities of Guadalajara and Mexico City.

Volcanic mountain ranges in Guatemala,
Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and
Panama are also considered part of the
Cordilleras. Volcanic eruptions and
earthquakes occur frequently in this region.
Volcanic activity can destroy towns and
cities. It also contributes to the rich, fertile
soils of the region.
Some of the Earth’s youngest mountains
are in the Cascade Range of the U.S. states
of Washington, Oregon, and California.
Some peaks began to form only about a
million years ago—a blink of an eye in
Earth’s long history. The mountains
include temperate rain forest—a biome
unique to the area. The temperate rain
forest receives an incredible amount of
precipitation, between 254 to 508
centimeters (100 to 200 inches) annually.
However, its cool winters and mild
summers promote the growth of mosses,
ferns, fungi, and lichens.
The temperate rain forest supports a wide
variety of life. The Sitka spruce, western
red cedar, and Douglas fir are trees native
to North America’s temperate rain forest.
Some of these trees grow to more than 90
meters (300 feet) tall and 3 meters (10 feet)
in diameter. Black bears, Roosevelt elk, and
marmots are indigenous animal species.

The three major desert regions of North
America—the Sonoran, Mojave, and
Chihuahuas—are all in the American
southwest and northern Mexico. These
large deserts are located in the rain
shadows of nearby mountains. The
mountains block precipitation and
accelerate the movement of hot, dry wind
over these regions. The Sonoran is in the
rain shadow of the Coast Ranges, the
Mojave is in the shadow of the Sierra
Nevada, and the Chihuahuas is in the
shadow of the Sierra Madre.
Notable desert plant species includes the
saguaro cactus, Joshua tree, and mesquite.
Animal species include the roadrunner,
Gila monster, and rattlesnake.
In addition to mountains, deserts, and
forests, the northern part of the western
region of North America also has the
richest deposits of oil and natural gas on
the continent. Most of these deposits are
located offshore, in the Arctic and Pacific
Oceans.

Great Plains
The Great Plains lie in the middle of the
continent. Deep, rich soil blankets large areas of
the plains in Canada and the United States.
Grain grown in this region, called the
“Breadbasket of North America,” feeds a large
part of the world. The Great Plains are also
home to rich deposits of oil and natural gas.
Much of the fertile soil was formed from
material deposited during the most recent
glacial period. This ice age reached its peak
about 18,000 years ago. As glaciers retreated,
streams of melted ice dropped sediment on the
land, building layers of productive soil.
The grassland or prairie regions of the Great
Plains make up the largest biome in North
America. Extreme weather prevents the growth
of large plants but is perfectly suited to the
native grasses that dominate the region.
Native grasses vary in size from 2 meters (7 feet)
in tallgrass prairies to only 20 or 25 centimeters
(8 or 10 inches) in shortgrass prairies. Native
animal species include bison, prairie dogs, and
grasshoppers.

Canadian Shield

The Canadian Shield is a raised but relatively
flat plateau. It extends over eastern, central,
and northwestern Canada. The Canadian
Shield is characterized by a rocky landscape
pocked by an astounding number of lakes.
The tundra, stretching along the northern
borders of Alaska and Canada to the Hudson
Bay area, is a biome common to the
Canadian Shield. Tundra is where low
temperatures and precipitation levels hinder
tree growth. The tundra is characterized by
permafrost—soil that is frozen for two or
more years. This permafrost keeps moisture
near the soil’s surface, promoting vegetation
growth even in the extreme, Arctic
conditions of the tundra.

During the summer, this top layer of soil
thaws less than 10 centimeters (only a few
inches) down, forming numerous shallow
lakes, ponds, and bogs. Lichens, mosses,
algae, and succulents take advantage of these
shallow waters. In turn, they provide food
for the caribou and musk ox that are typical
of this area.

Eastern Region

This varied region includes the Appalachian
Mountains and the Atlantic coastal plain.
North America’s older mountain ranges,
including the Appalachians, rise near the east
coast of the United States and Canada. These
areas have been mined for rich deposits of coal
and other minerals for hundreds of years.
The Atlantic coastal plain extends from river,
marsh, and wetland regions east of the
mountains toward the sandy beaches of the
Atlantic coast. Wetland areas are a biome of the
eastern region and consist of areas of land whose
soil is saturated with permanent or seasonal
moisture. The Florida Everglades is the largest
wetland system in the United States, covering
more than 11,137 square kilometers (4,300 square
miles) of southern Florida.
The Everglades is a biologically diverse region
and contains several bordering ecosystems.
Sawgrass marshes are the most iconic plant
community of the Everglades and thrive on the
slow-moving water of the wetlands. Alligators
nest in the sawgrass, while wading birds such as
egrets, herons, spoonbills, and ibises make their
breeding grounds in other wetland tree species,
such as cypress and mangrove.

Natural Wonders
North America’s varied landscape features
many natural wonders. It has deep canyons,
such as Copper Canyon in the Mexican state
of Chihuahua. Denali, the continent’s highest
peak, stands at 6,194 meters (20,320 feet)
within Denali National Park and Preserve in
the U.S. state of Alaska. Yellowstone National
Park, in the U.S. states of Wyoming, Montana,
and Idaho, has some of the world’s most
active geysers. Canada’s Bay of Fundy has the
greatest tidal range in the world. The Great
Lakes form the planet’s largest area of
freshwater. The Mississippi River, at 3,730
kilometers (2,320 miles) long, is one of the
longest river systems in the world and drains
all or parts of 31 U.S. states.

Regions and Seasons

North America can be broadly
divided into the six regions shown
on the map (right).
Greenland, Canada and most of the
United States lie in the Northern
hemisphere and have four distinct
seasons
– Spring – March, April, May
– Summer – June, July, August
– Autumn – September, October,
November
– Winter – December, January,
February
Mexico, Central America, the
Caribbean and southern United
States have more constant
temperatures throughout the year
but have a wet season – May to
October and a dry season –
November to April.

Climate
The climate of North America can be broadly
divided into eight different climate types:
Deciduous forest – Four distinct seasons with
warm summers and cold, wet winters. The
trees shed their leaves in autumn.
Coniferous forest – Also known as Taiga,
cold and dry with snowy winters and
warmer summers.
Mediterranean – Warm to high temperatures
with rainfall in the autumn and winter
months.
Grassland – Hot summers and cold winters
with above average rainfall.
Tundra – This area is characterized by a layer
of permafrost (soil that has remained below
freezing for at least two years. Winters are
very cold, summers are warm and there is
little rainfall.
Alpine/mountain – Cold, windy and snowy.
It is winter from October to May with
temperatures below freezing, while summer
is from June to September where the
temperature can reach 15°C.
Rainforest – High temperatures and high
rainfall throughout the year.
Desert – Warm to high temperatures with
very little rainfall

Plants life in North America
The plant life of North America is
characterized according to climatic region.
The deciduous forest region has a wealth of
plant life and includes tall and short trees,
shrubs, small plants and mosses.
The coniferous forest region contains trees
such as pine, fir and spruce. The picture
(left) shows a coniferous forest in northern
California.
Due to the cold during the winter months,
only short grasses and shrubs can survive in
the tundra and alpine/mountain regions.
The grassland region is characterized by
large open areas of tall or short grass.
Plants found in the Mediterranean region
have adapted to the differences in rainfall
and temperature between winter and
summer and include, palm trees, citrus
trees, forest and scrub.
The rainforest areas are jungles of dense,
wet forests.
The desert regions are home to those plants
that can survive the arid conditions and
include varieties of cacti.

Canada
Canada is a country in North America that
extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east,
to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and the
Arctic Ocean to the north. Canada borders
the United States. The geography of Canada
is mostly plains with mountains in the west.
Canada is widely known for its hockey,
maple syrup, and brutally cold winters. But
you can bet your back bacon that Canadians
also enjoy some special products only
available in the Great White North, many of
which are completely unknown to its
neighbors to the south, at least outside of
specialist importers. The name Canada

Lumbering
Canada's Vegetation includes comprehensive
sections on tundra, forest-tundra, boreal forest
and mixed forest transition, prairie (steppe),
Cordilleran environments in western North
Canada's Vegetation includes comprehensive
sections on tundra, forest-tundra, boreal forest
and mixed forest transition, prairie (steppe),
Cordilleran environments in western North
America, temperate deciduous forests, and
wetlands. An overview of each ecosystem is
provided, and equivalent vegetation types
throughout the world are reviewed and
compared with those in Canada.

The integration of data on climate, soil, and
vegetation in a single volume makes this an
invaluable reference tool. Canada's Vegetation is
sure to become a standard textbook for those in
the environmental sciences America, temperate
deciduous forests, and wetlands. An overview of
each ecosystem is provided, and equivalent
vegetation types throughout the world are
reviewed and compared with those in Canada.

The integration of data on climate, soil, and
vegetation in a single volume makes this an
invaluable reference tool. Canada's Vegetation is
sure to become a standard textbook for those in
the environmental sciences.

Lumberjacks
Lumberjacks are mostly North
American workers in the logging
industry who perform the initial
harvesting and transport of trees for
ultimate processing into forest
products. The term usually refers to a
bygone era (before 1945 in the United
States) when hand tools were used in
harvesting trees. Because of its
historical ties, the term lumberjack has
become ingrained in popular culture
through folklore, mass media and
spectator sports. The actual work was
difficult, dangerous, intermittent, low-
paying, and primitive in living
conditions. However, the men built a
traditional culture that celebrated
strength, masculinity, confrontation
with danger, and resistance to
modernization

History
Lifestyle
A Maine logging camp in 1906.
Lumberjacks worked in lumber camps and
often lived a migratory life, following timber
harvesting jobs as they opened.[12] Being a
lumberjack was seasonal work. Lumberjacks
were exclusively men. They usually lived in
bunkhouses or tents. Common equipment
included the axe and cross-cut saw.
Lumberjacks could be found wherever there
were vast forests to be harvested and a demand
for wood, most likely in Scandinavia, Canada,
and parts of the United States. In the U.S.,
many lumberjacks were of Scandinavian
ancestry, continuing the family tradition.
American lumberjacks were first centered in
north-eastern states such as Maine. They then
followed the general westward migration on
the continent to the Upper Midwest, and finally
the Pacific Northwest. Stewart Holbrook
documented the emergence and westward
migration of the classic American lumberjack in
his first book, Holy Old Mackinaw: A Natural
History of the American Lumberjack. He often
wrote colourfully about lumberjacks in his
subsequent books, romanticizing them as hard-
drinking, hard-working men. Logging camps
were slowly phased out between World War II
and the early 1960s as crews could by then be
transported to remote logging sites in motor
vehicles.[13]

The division of labour in lumber camps led
to several specialized jobs on logging crews,
such as whistle punk, chaser, and high
climber.[14] The whistle punk's job was to
sound a whistle (usually at the Steam donkey)
as a signal to the yarder operator controlling
the movement of logs. He also had to act as a
safety lookout. A good whistle punk had to be
alert and think fast as the safety of the others
depended on him. The high climber (also
known as a tree topper) used iron climbing
hooks and rope to ascend a tall tree in the
landing area of the logging site, where he
would chop off limbs as he climbed, chop off
the top of the tree, and finally attach pulleys
and rigging to the tree. After that, it could be
used as a spar so logs could be skidded into the
landing. High climbers and whistle punks were
both phased out in the 1960s to early 1970s
when portable steel towers replaced spar trees
and radio equipment replaced steam whistles
for communication. The choker setters attached
steel cables (or chokers) to downed logs so they
could be dragged into the landing by the
yarder. The chasers removed the chokers once
the logs were at the landing. Choker setters and
chasers were often entry-level positions on
logging crews, with more experienced loggers
seeking to move up to more skill-intensive
positions such as yarder operator and high
climber, or supervisory positions such as hook
tender. Despite the common perception that all
loggers cut trees, the actual felling and bucking
of trees were also specialized job positions done
by fallers and buckers. Faller and bucker were
once two separate job titles, but they are now
combined.

CONCLUSION
Lumbering is a process in which the trees are
being cut down for domestic, industrial and
economic uses.
The dense forests are mainly the target for
lumbering due to the huge availability of wood
all around.
Industries use the wood for construction of large
number of furniture.
Canada being a vast country has huge availability
of wood in their forests and it is converted into
furniture products for their day to day needs like
cupboards, table, chair etc.
The North America is the third largest continent
and has a population of 380 million and has an
area of about 21,346,000 km square. The northern
half of the continents is sparsely populated and is
covered mostly in the Canada.
The northern features of the North America
includes the American Cordelia's and represent
the geological new rocky mountains in the west
and the Appalachians in the east and it holds a
lot of the great lakes and they were formed at the
glacial periods and climate is determined by a
large aspects of the latitudes and the major
watershed drain to the east as the Mississippi and
the Grande Rio.
Being physiographic divided onto the Canadian
shields and the Appalachian mounted and the
Atlantic coastal plains and interior low lands and
the North American cordilleras that is a complex
belt of the mountains and is associate to the
plateaus that extend from the Alaska into the
Mexico and is bordered by the Sierra Madre
Occidental, and the entire plate of the North
America forms a convergent plate boundary.

Bibliography

I have got the stuff from my textbook and
various websites.
1. www.google.com
2. www.youtube.com
3.www.wikipedia.com