British Columbia: Canada's Most Forested Province

British Columbia (B.C.) has the largest forest area of any Canadian province—approximately 55.2 million hectares (about 136 million acres), covering two-thirds of the province’s land base.

Key Commercial Species

• Douglas fir
• Western hemlock
• Spruce (Engelmann, Sitka, white)
• Balsam fir
• Western red cedar
• Lodgepole pine

Economic Impact

• Forestry contributes over $12 billion annually to B.C.’s GDP.
• Supports ~50,000 direct jobs (harvesting, milling, silviculture).
• Major exports: lumber, pulp, paper, panels, value-added wood products.
• Key markets: U.S., China, Japan, South Korea.

Sustainable Management

B.C. has strict forest practice codes, mandatory reforestation, and third-party certification (FSC, SFI, CSA) on most public lands. Old-growth protection and Indigenous co-management are increasing priorities.

B.C.’s vast, diverse forests make it a global forestry leader.