| Forests sustain the economies of hundreds of communities across Canada and directly or indirectly employed 1 out every 15 workers in Canada. Forest products represent Canada’s largest foreign exchange earner, making the forest industry’s contribution to Canada’s balance of payments about the same as the aggregate total of all minerals, fuels, ores, chemicals, metals and agricultural products combined.
About 42% of Canada is forested, but less than 30% of the forested area is managed for timber production --- mostly in the Boreal Shield, Atlantic Maritime, Montane Cordillera and Pacific Maritime ecozones.
The forest industry is an active player in the conservation and
sustainability of forested ecosystems. Under long-term agreements
(typically 20 to 25 years) with provincial governments that spell
out how the forested land will be managed, forest companies develop
long term management plans and shorter term operating plans. These
plans include consideration of a wide variety of ecological values
including the conservation and protection of water and soil, preserving
habitats of species, allowing for alternate economic uses and aesthetic
values. In attempting to maintain biodiversity, foresters try to
replicate natural disturbance patterns, and plan corridors that
join similar landscape patterns. Many model forests have been established
across Canada where ecosystem management practices can be studied.
These and other measures can help preserve all components, structure
and ecological processes of forested areas.
Refer to Table 1 for a list of the principal tree species found in each ecozone.
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