Natural Resources Canada publishes a report on the social, economic and environmental state of Canada’s forests and forest sector. The 2022 report spotlights the diversity of Canada’s forests, the sustainable management supporting their resilience and the range of benefits they provide.
Canada has 9% of the world’s forests, about 90% of which is publicly owned. When harvested from public land, forests must be regenerated, promoting long-term sustainability.
Canadian forests also provide breeding habitat for a wealth of species whose biodiversity encourages forest ecosystem resilience.
New National Forest Inventory re-measurements are supplying more accurate, detailed data on the composition, structure and evolution of forests, helping to inform sustainable management decisions.
As fires and invasive species increase so do mitigating tactics. International collaboration in firefighting and scientific wildfire research help ecosystems and communities prepare for or adapt to disturbances.
Nature-based solutions such as forest conservation, protection and restoration also counter climate change impacts. Collaboration with Indigenous Peoples is essential to this stewardship.
Canada is aiming to designate 25% of its land as protected space by 2025 and 30% by 2030. It’s an ambitious goal, highlighting the value of biodiversity for long-term forest health.
In 2021, Canada’s forest sector directly employed 205,365 people, a 10% increase from 2020; and contributed $34.8 billion to the nation’s nominal GDP. In 2020, according to the report, Canada’s managed forests and the wood products harvested from them removed about 5.3 Mt CO2e from the atmosphere, while its 138 native tree species provide over 40 known medical or pharmaceutical uses. Trees are also used to produce common materials such as rayon, cellophane, glue and turpentine.
For more information, we invite you to read the full 2022 report: State of Canada’s Forests: Annual Report.
