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All Canadians have a stake in the future of our country's forests. After all, forests cover nearly half of the Canadian landscape and are a dominant feature of our economy, culture, traditions and history. Increasing public interest in forest practices, global demand for wood, interest in non-timber benefits, forest certification, market pressures, biodiversity conservation and climate change are all impacting on the long-term management and use of our forests. This year's report looks at some of these challenges and issues and how they will likely change the forest landscape in the future.
There are 417.6 million hectares of forestland in Canada. Some 37 percent is open forest, comprising muskeg, rock, barrens and marshes, as well as slow-growing or sparse forests; almost 56 percent is considered commercial forest–capable of producing timber and non-timber products. Approximately 119 million hectares, or 28 percent, are currently managed for timber purposes, and 0.4 percent is harvested annually.
Most (94 percent) of Canada's forests are publicly owned; the rest are on private property belonging to more than 425 000 private landowners. Forest management is a matter of provincial and territorial jurisdiction. Each province and territory has its own set of statutes, policies and regulations to govern the management of its forests. A broad spectrum of users–the public, forest industries, Aboriginal groups and environmental organizations–are often consulted to ensure that recreational, cultural, wildlife and economic values are incorporated into forest management planning and decision making. The federal government's role in forestry pertains to such areas as research, trade and commerce, international affairs, the environment, pesticide regulation, training and Aboriginal affairs.
Forests play a key role in moderating the climate, regulating water systems, preventing erosion, alleviating air pollution, and providing wildlife habitat. They also offer a multitude of recreational opportunities, and are enjoyed by Canadians and tourists from around the world.
Finding an appropriate balance among the many uses of our forests has been the key to Canada's success to date. Maintaining this balance will ensure their continued sustainability in the future.
Canada has about 10% of the world's forests, 30% of the world's boreal forests, and 20% of the planet's freshwater Canada has 417.6 million hectares of forestland 183.1 million hectares are non-commercial forest and largely wilderness 234.5 million hectares are commercial forest 2.8 million hectares were burned by forest fires (2002) 18.6 million hectares were affected by insect defoliation (2001) 1.03 million hectares were harvested (2000) About two-thirds of Canada's estimated 140 000 species of plant, animal and microorganism live in the forest 180 tree species are indigenous to Canada There are 15 terrestrial ecozones within Canada, containing forest types ranging from the coastal rainforests to sparse and slow-growing forests at the Arctic tree line Canada netted almost $43 billion in forest products exports (2002) Forest products contributed $32.6 billion to Canada's trade surplus (2002) Canada's forests are the engine behind an industry worth about $74 billion Direct employment was 361 400 (2002) The forest-related tourism industry is worth several billion dollars annually