Natural Resources Canada
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Productive Forest Land Use
Abstract
Forty-five percent of the Canadian territory is forested corresponding to 417.6 million hectares. There are 234.5 million hectares of commercial forests and 0.4% is harvested each year.
In Canada, about 45% of the territory is covered with forest, corresponding to 417.6 million hectares stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts, and to the Arctic tree line. More than half of the forested lands, about 234.5 million hectares are considered commercial (or productive) forests. Each year, one million hectares are harvested, representing 0.4% of the Canadian productive forests.
The forested areas managed for timber production are mostly located in the Boreal Shield, Atlantic Maritime, Montane Cordillera and Pacific Maritime ecozones.
Forest Products
There are a variety of forest products. Among the most important products are timber, such as sawlogs and peeler logs, used by sawmills to make lumber and plywood; and pulpwood used for making paper, paperboard and newsprint. There are also other wood products such as Christmas trees, cribbing, fence posts, firewood, shakes, shingles, mining timbers, grape stakes and pilings. Forests also provide consumers with wild food products like nuts, mushrooms, berries, fiddleheads, herbs, medicinal plants and wild rice.
Other Maps in this Series:
- Forest Industry Generating Stations, 1997 Map | Read about this map
- Forest-Reliant Communities, 1996 Map | Read about this map
- Sawmills Map | Read about this map
