Forests in Canada

Trees have existed on the earth for around 275 million years and for 90 million years they have dominated the earth=s vegetation. Locked up in the forests are vast amounts of carbon. The forest biomass is so huge and so vital that when they are in their maximum growth phase in spring and summer, the worldwide levels of carbon dioxide fall and levels of oxygen rise.

Forests are valuable for many reasons. The timber, foods and medicines that use ingredients from forests are worth billions of dollars every year. However, they are also extremely valuable to us in ways that are difficult to calculate in terms of money. For millions, it is a recreational and spiritual refuge. It is a place to explore, hike, canoe, camp, fish, take photos or just to admire its beauty. It is for these reasons that it is crucial that forests be managed for the well-being of our future Canadians.

Canada is symbolized by the abundance of its natural resources and in particular, the vastness of its forests, which is almost half of the nation=s land area. Canada has one of the largest continuous forested areas in the world. Our forests cover 417.6 million hectares. This accounts for 10% of the world=s total forest land. Canada is also one of