Forests of Canada

The forests of Canada are located across much of the country. Approximately half of Canada is covered by forest, totaling around 2.4 million km² (0.93 million sq mi).^[1] Over 90% of Canada's forests are owned by the public (Crown land and Provincial forest). About half of the forests are allocated for logging.

Named forests are found within eight distinct regions. These forests may also be part of ecosystems, a number of which extend south into the United States. For example, the Northern hardwood forest is an ecosystem located in large areas of southeastern and south central Canada as well as in Ontario and Quebec. This system extends south to west and even into the United States.

Ontario alone makes up for 20% of Canada's Forests, which equates to roughly 2% of the forests in the world.^[2] Ontario follows strict laws and regulations to manage its forests in a sustainable way. Ontario Forests are mainly managed by the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry (NDMNRF).^[3] They ensure a fair trade between sustaining the forest, while protecting the biodiversity of the ecosystem and providing legal methods for harvesting to benefit the economy.^[2]

Statistics

Canada possesses 367 million hectares (ha) of forest, which constitutes 9% of the global forest area and 25% of the worldwide boreal forest. As of 2022, 72% of the Crown forest land under management in Canada is certified according to third-party sustainable forest management standards. Approximately 10% of Canada’s forests are designated as protected areas (2022).^[4]

The forest sector in Canada contributed $33. 4 billion (1. 2%) to the nation’s nominal GDP in 2022. In the same year, this sector employed 212,660 individuals, with average annual earnings estimated at $51,900 (2022).^[4]

Protection

The protection of Canada’s forests is reinforced through robust legislation and regulations at the federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal levels. Sustainable forest management (SFM) represents a collaborative initiative involving all tiers of government, industry stakeholders, and the general public. Numerous key federal statutes underpin the objectives of SFM, including the:^[4]

Forestry Act
Species at Risk Act
Migratory Birds Convention Act
Fisheries Act
Impact Assessment Act
Canadian Environmental Protection Act
Pest Control Products Act
Fertilizers Act

The Species at Risk Act plays a critical role in Canada’s strategy to safeguard biodiversity, having been established to fulfill Canada’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Biodiversity.

Regions

The forests of Canada are located within eight regions:^[5]^[6]

Acadian Forest Region - This region comprises a temperate broadleaf and mixed forest ecoregion located in Quebec as well as the Maritime Provinces in Eastern Canada, and extends into the United States.^[7]
Boreal Forest Region - This the largest forest region in Canada. It is located in the north and contains about one third of the world's circumpolar boreal forests.
Coast Forest Region - Located on the west coast, this region almost entirely comprises coniferous trees including the Douglas-fir, Sitka spruce, western hemlock, and western red cedar.
Columbia Forest Region - Also mostly comprising coniferous trees, this region is located between the Rocky Mountains and the central plateau in British Columbia.
Deciduous Forest Region - This region is located between Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, and Lake Erie in southwestern Ontario.^[8]
Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest - This region is the second largest (the boreal being the largest), and is located from southeastern Manitoba to the Gaspé Peninsula.^[8]
Montane Forest Region - Located in the west of Canada, this region covers parts of the Kootenays, the central plateau of British Columbia, and a number of valleys close to Alberta's border.^[8]
Subalpine Forest Region - This region is located in British Columbia and Alberta. It covers the Rocky Mountains from the west coast to Alberta's uplands.^[8]

By Province

The following is a list of forests, ecoregions, ecozones, forested parklands and provincial parks.

Alberta

British Columbia

Manitoba

Newfoundland

Newfoundland Highland forests

Nova Scotia

Ben Eoin Provincial Park

Ontario

Prince Edward Island

Quebec

Saskatchewan

Yukon

Yukon Interior dry forests

Other forest areas

Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests

Beech-maple forest - This forest is located mostly in eastern United States and extends into southern Canada.^[10]
Carolinian forest
Eastern forest-boreal transition
Eastern Great Lakes lowland forests
John E. Pearce Provincial Park
Long Point, Ontario
Niagara Glen Nature Reserve
Northern hardwood forest
Pinery Provincial Park
Point Pelee National Park
Rock Point Provincial Park
Rondeau Provincial Park
Short Hills Provincial Park
Southwest Elgin Forest Complex
Western Great Lakes forests
Wheatley Provincial Park

A view of the Niagara River from Niagara Glen Nature Reserve, surrounded by forest

References

^ "Total forest coverage by country". the Guardian. 2 September 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
^ ^a ^b "State of Ontario's Natural Resources - Forest 2021".
^ "Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry".
^ ^a ^b ^c "THE STATE OF CANADA'S FORESTS - Annual Report 2023" (PDF). library and archives Canada Canadian Forest Service. Retrieved 2025-01-15. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 13 (help)
^ "Forest classification". Natural Resources Canada. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
^ "Forest Regions - The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca.
^ "New England/Acadian Forests". www.cas.vanderbilt.edu.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Canada's Forests - Sustainability and Management - CCFM". www.sfmcanada.org. Archived from the original on 2021-03-01. Retrieved 2018-09-23.
^ "Natural Areas". 11 January 2018.
^ "Eco Succession". Archived from the original on 2008-12-26. Retrieved 2018-09-23.

External links

Media related to Forests in Canada at Wikimedia Commons

[1] "Total forest coverage by country". the Guardian. 2 September 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2018.

[:0-2] "State of Ontario's Natural Resources - Forest 2021".

[3] "Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry".

[y618-4] "THE STATE OF CANADA'S FORESTS - Annual Report 2023" (PDF). library and archives Canada Canadian Forest Service. Retrieved 2025-01-15. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 13 (help)

[5] "Forest classification". Natural Resources Canada. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2018.

[6] "Forest Regions - The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca.

[7] "New England/Acadian Forests". www.cas.vanderbilt.edu.

[auto-8] "Canada's Forests - Sustainability and Management - CCFM". www.sfmcanada.org. Archived from the original on 2021-03-01. Retrieved 2018-09-23.

[9] "Natural Areas". 11 January 2018.

[10] "Eco Succession". Archived from the original on 2008-12-26. Retrieved 2018-09-23.

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v t e Forests of North America
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