British Columbia’s forests are sustainable forever into the future. That’s a bold statement which is supported by the facts.
According to the BC Government, the area of BC is about 95 million hectares (a hectare is about the size of three soccer fields). Of that, approximately 59 million hectares is forest. Of that, about 22 million hectares is designated by government as the Timber Harvesting Land Base, which appears likely to be reduced by at least another 2 million hectares in the near future Old growth definitions and values – Province of British Columbia.
About 63% of BC’s forests currently (in 2025) will not be harvested because they are already protected as parks, provincial parks, ecological reserves, conservancies, recreation areas, protected under the Environment and Land Use Act, National parks, and Indigenous protected areas. Therefore, 37% is available for commercial harvesting.
In a good year, about 200,000 hectares of forest are logged, which is 1% each year. At this rate, it would take 100 years to log 37% of BC’s forests, by which time the trees planted in the first year will become 100 years old and will be ready for the next harvest, and then again after 200 years and so on. The cycle of planting and harvesting can go on forever, which is what sustainability means. This is one of the many reasons why forest workers are so proud of the work they do.
The purpose of Forestry Works for BC is to encourage citizens and leaders in British Columbia to be proud of forestry.
BC Forest Facts
- Just over 62% (59 million ha) of BC is covered by forests.
- BC’s forests are publicly owned and managed by the BC government on behalf of all British Columbians. Less than 5% of BC’s forests are on private land.
- The timber harvesting land base (the area that it is legal and economically feasible to log) is 22 million ha.
- This means that ONLY 37% of BC’s forests are part of current and future harvest planning.
- Therefore, the remaining 63% of BC’s forests are unlikely to see a cutblock or forestry road.
- BC harvests approximately 140,000 hectares of forest per year (based on the last 3-year average), or less than 0.60% of available forest lands are harvested each year.
Please visit Forestry Works for BC – When Forestry Works, we all do better to learn more.