The boreal forest is the largest terrestrial forest in the world, so it is an important part of the carbon cycle because the large forests absorb and release carbon. When more CO2 is absorbed than released it's called a carbon sink; these carbon sinks benefit the planet because it reduces the amount of emissions in the atmosphere. The Boreal Forest is carbon sink and source, some years it takes in more CO2 than it exhales and vise versa.
Clear cutting is the most popular type of logging in the Boreal, this makes it hard for other trees to grow, it destroys the habitat for many animals and it also causes erosion. Without the trees holding the soil together, it can be blown away by wind and moved around by water causing the bedrock and permafrost beneath to be exposed. Harvesters are actually required to leave uncut areas which are called areas of concern. These areas are protected because they are important parts of wildlife habitats. Since In 2014, 148 cubic meters of industrial roundwood were harvested in Canada, this represents 0.3% of Canada's total standing wood volume. These harvests are regulated by the allowable annual cut (AAC) ,which is the annual level of harvest allowed.
The chart above shows measurements of carbon exchanged between the atmosphere and the boreal forest. Positive numbers represent the build up of carbon in the forest, and the negative numbers show carbon released into the atmosphere. The measurements are totaled over the course of each year and set to zero each January first