Table 9.1. Area (1000 ha) of forest land by IUCN1 category, age class and terrestrial ecozone in Canada.
Terrestrial ecozone IUCN category Age (years) Total
1-20 21-40 41-60 61-80 81-100 101-120 121-140 141-160 161-180 181-200 201+ Other2
Taiga Plains NA 114.35 234.40 1 355.65 3 510.96 24 458.46 992.12 740.13 456.32 81.51 28.95 51.56 66.72 32 091.13
Ib 0.00 3.81 79.05 133.81 27.75 0.93 2.75 1.74 9.24 0.00 0.01 0.00 259.09
II 1.10 5.63 154.18 130.29 700.00 14.06 0.49 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1 005.76
III 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.94 90.61 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 92.55
V 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.31 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.31
Other 0.00 0.00 0.00 11.91 139.41 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 151.32
Subtotal 115.45 243.84 1 588.88 3 788.92 25 417.55 1 007.11 743.36 458.06 90.75 28.95 51.57 66.72 33 601.17
Taiga Shield NA 115.26 17.70 51.15 4 631.94 8 324.81 18 497.75 8 157.89 4.39 0.00 0.00 0.00 5 363.76 45 164.64
Ib 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 15.64 391.70 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 195.68 603.02
II 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 99.12 338.49 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 < 0.01 437.61
III 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 29.93 21.41 1.35 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 52.69
V 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.63 34.29 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 34.92
Subtotal 115.26 17.70 51.15 4 631.94 8 470.13 19 283.63 8 159.24 4.39 0.00 0.00 0.00 5 559.44 46 292.88
Boreal Shield NA 11 768.64 11 632.16 14 932.24 23 723.80 30 422.28 16 125.14 3 496.30 1 597.77 311.18 57.79 1.72 8 375.69 122 444.72
Ia 17.02 30.68 27.86 33.27 30.77 62.06 2.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.30 204.04
Ib 45.81 108.03 201.97 946.81 633.10 126.39 50.25 15.16 6.84 1.72 0.00 81.67 2 217.74
II 350.75 419.78 925.28 1 007.07 1 115.30 393.27 200.44 218.42 54.72 2.67 8.38 81.82 4 777.91
III 55.38 6.97 118.45 170.90 364.80 719.43 6.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1 442.22
IV 1.35 0.61 19.72 7.40 37.83 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 66.91
VI 1.37 4.83 6.56 18.96 12.81 38.35 1.32 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 84.21
Other 1.43 0.00 0.19 0.04 28.48 6.83 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 36.98
Subtotal 12 241.76 12 203.05 16 232.27 25 908.26 32 645.37 17 471.47 3 756.68 1 831.35 372.75 62.18 10.10 8 539.50 131 274.72
Atlantic Maritime NA 3 579.09 2 315.86 4 684.88 2 628.33 1 272.17 250.04 31.34 5.22 1.30 0.39 0.21 819.40 15 588.23
Ia 8.60 1.46 10.37 7.20 18.29 1.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 < 0.01 46.98
Ib 0.11 4.13 69.09 29.48 0.07 5.61 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 108.48
II 56.93 47.38 134.15 86.80 70.16 9.40 1.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.06 409.88
III 3.59 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 7.20 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.79
IV 19.80 30.23 18.63 28.08 31.24 2.66 0.00 0.63 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.03 131.30
Subtotal 3 668.12 2 399.05 4 917.11 2 779.89 1 391.93 275.97 32.36 5.85 1.30 0.39 0.21 823.49 16 295.67
Mixedwood Plains NA 295.18 810.55 1 140.95 552.48 199.75 27.03 9.45 2.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 84.09 3 121.59
Ia 0.25 1.67 8.67 0.86 2.27 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 13.72
II 1.23 6.27 5.01 5.59 2.28 0.15 0.00 0.35 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 20.89
IV 0.00 0.00 4.59 0.00 3.59 1.48 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.13 9.78
VI 0.00 0.00 0.39 0.00 0.21 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.60
Other 0.00 0.54 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.20 0.60 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.31 2.65
Subtotal 296.66 819.03 1 159.62 558.93 208.10 29.86 10.05 2.45 0.00 0.00 0.00 84.53 3 169.23
Boreal Plains NA 1 687.11 2 911.11 7 687.00 7 702.89 6 195.53 3 933.71 1 520.28 655.00 395.14 64.75 62.66 2 091.09 34 906.27
Ia 0.00 4.57 12.47 9.70 35.01 0.95 0.45 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 63.15
Ib 86.68 64.01 170.76 248.52 133.69 10.59 5.02 0.45 30.20 2.83 0.00 0.00 752.75
II 6.82 60.55 873.61 1 096.63 321.41 211.28 35.52 9.00 8.56 0.37 1.11 0.18 2 625.05
III 0.00 2.83 3.98 1.05 0.63 0.00 0.93 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 9.43
IV 9.71 12.96 0.62 18.10 8.50 14.41 6.55 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.06 75.91
V 0.01 0.16 0.23 2.60 6.47 0.51 0.70 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.18 10.86
VI 0.11 1.53 4.30 3.58 1.48 0.09 0.00 0.00 < 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.14 11.23
Subtotal 1 790.45 3 057.72 8 752.97 9 083.08 6 702.73 4 171.54 1 569.44 664.45 433.90 67.95 63.77 2 096.65 38 454.65
Prairies NA 0.34 2.43 311.90 365.26 360.70 0.33 0.00 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 23.79 1 064.82
II 0.00 0.00 4.52 12.41 35.50 24.83 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 77.26
III 0.00 0.00 0.97 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.47 1.45
IV 0.00 0.00 0.53 1.68 19.52 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 21.73
V 0.90 0.00 3.97 16.27 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 21.14
VI 0.00 0.00 0.58 4.68 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.94 11.38
Subtotal 1.24 2.43 322.48 400.31 415.89 25.16 0.00 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 30.20 1 197.79
Taiga Cordillera NA 35.64 602.37 431.66 399.14 266.55 4 370.97 86.22 23.45 1.80 0.00 0.00 0.00 6 217.79
Ib 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.87 0.00 101.21 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 105.09
II 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.23 5.89 36.26 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 52.37
III 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 8.90 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 8.91
IV 0.00 20.06 9.08 0.01 0.00 21.25 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 50.39
V 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.00 5.17 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.21
Other 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 3.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.12
Subtotal 35.64 622.43 440.74 413.31 272.43 4 546.86 86.22 23.45 1.80 0.00 0.00 0.00 6 442.88
Boreal Cordillera NA 191.49 1 861.48 2 112.50 2 310.97 3 730.06 2 318.42 1 147.40 783.96 725.41 171.02 2 045.33 140.31 17 538.37
Ib 0.00 17.30 42.80 63.99 7.76 77.52 71.06 70.33 160.44 45.35 483.92 0.00 1 040.47
II 0.00 3.22 4.13 3.71 65.63 60.25 68.37 76.99 52.44 3.03 60.62 0.00 398.39
IV 0.00 38.47 8.78 37.40 27.27 8.14 2.89 0.00 0.00 0.00 16.28 0.00 139.23
Subtotal 191.49 1 920.47 2 168.21 2 416.08 3 830.71 2 464.34 1 289.73 931.29 938.29 219.40 2 606.14 140.31 19 116.46
Pacific Maritime NA 159.94 720.71 650.25 573.35 386.39 349.17 280.69 148.95 147.65 125.77 5 102.50 641.06 9 286.41
Ia 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.11 0.00 0.35 2.20 1.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 3.98
Ib 0.00 1.20 2.75 2.35 1.08 20.01 5.60 0.45 7.15 1.66 170.45 0.07 212.78
II 0.58 41.75 23.09 59.92 29.91 61.58 41.61 9.61 36.48 93.39 757.73 76.72 1 232.37
III 0.00 1.66 0.00 5.29 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.60 0.00 8.55
IV 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01
Subtotal 160.52 765.31 676.09 641.02 417.38 431.11 330.10 160.31 191.27 220.82 6 032.29 717.86 10 744.10
Montane Cordillera NA 678.54 1 357.00 1 044.54 2 511.58 3 348.70 2 967.99 3 180.69 2 136.86 1 623.93 1 183.14 5 342.09 1 222.64 26 597.68
Ia 0.52 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.09 6.31 0.02 0.12 0.00 12.11
Ib 0.00 11.32 103.60 190.63 170.88 97.81 96.06 42.35 16.05 91.99 319.33 < 0.01 1 140.03
II 0.23 40.19 39.09 279.00 311.80 403.34 485.14 534.81 325.78 375.13 536.68 4.89 3 336.09
III 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.03 1.95 1.43 < 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.00 3.46
IV 0.00 1.75 0.00 0.00 0.78 0.00 0.80 0.52 2.97 0.00 22.49 0.00 29.31
VI 0.00 0.00 0.88 1.43 0.37 0.47 4.94 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.71 9.79
Subtotal 679.29 1 410.26 1 188.11 2 982.67 3 832.56 3 471.56 3 769.06 2 719.63 1 975.05 1 650.28 6 220.76 1 229.24 31 128.47
Hudson Plains NA 60.60 38.23 49.39 176.70 4 547.59 3 720.16 44.21 20.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 856.15 9 513.04
Ia 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 13.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 13.12
Ib 0.44 6.89 0.00 12.42 109.54 55.62 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 184.91
II 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.02 20.96 62.92 0.00 0.36 0.00 0.00 0.00 50.87 136.12
III 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 8.86 1.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.37 10.53
Subtotal 61.05 45.12 49.39 190.14 4 700.07 3 840.01 44.21 20.36 0.00 0.00 0.00 907.38 9 857.72
Canada NA 18 686.18 22 504.02 34 452.11 49 087.41 83 512.99 53 552.83 18 694.60 5 834.09 3 287.91 1 631.81 12 606.06 19 684.70 323 534.70
Ia 26.40 38.37 59.38 51.19 99.46 64.42 4.72 6.39 6.31 0.02 0.12 0.31 357.09
Ib 133.05 216.69 670.02 1 631.87 1 099.49 887.39 230.73 130.48 229.93 143.56 973.71 277.43 6 624.35
II 417.65 624.77 2 163.06 2 692.67 2 777.96 1 615.83 832.59 849.54 477.98 474.59 1 364.53 218.54 14 509.71
III 58.96 11.46 123.40 179.20 494.87 760.20 10.01 < 0.01 0.00 0.00 1.65 0.84 1 640.59
IV 30.87 104.08 61.95 92.67 128.72 47.93 10.24 1.15 2.97 0.00 38.78 5.22 524.58
V 0.91 0.16 4.20 18.92 8.42 39.97 0.70 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.18 73.45
VI 1.48 6.36 12.71 28.65 15.04 38.91 6.26 0.00 < 0.01 0.00 0.00 7.79 117.21
Other 1.43 0.54 0.19 11.97 167.89 11.13 0.60 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.31 194.06
Total 19 356.92 23 506.43 37 547.02 53 794.55 88 304.85 57 018.61 19 790.45 6 821.66 4 005.10 2 249.98 14 984.84 20 195.33 347 575.75
Source: Canada's National Forest Inventory, revised 2006 baseline (Version 3, December 2013) (http://nfi.nfis.org)
Note: The Arctic ecozones (Arctic Cordillera, Northern Arctic, Southern Arctic), and the Taiga Plains and Hudson Plains ecozones located in Nunavut, are not inventoried. These non-inventoried areas total 262,189.89 thousand ha.
1 IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature (http://www.iucn.org). Data obtained from the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) (https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/national-wildlife-areas/protected-conserved-areas-database.html).
2 Missing or unknown age class.
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) category
IUCN Category Description
NA Not protected
Ia Protected area managed mainly for science
Ib Protected area managed mainly for wilderness protection
II Protected area managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation
III Protected area managed mainly for conservation of specific natural features
IV Protected area managed mainly for conservation through management intervention
V Protected area managed mainly for landscape/seascape protection and recreation
VI Protected area managed mainly for the sustainable use of natural resources
Other Protected with missing or unknown category