Table 9.4. Area (1000 ha) of forest land by IUCN1 category, age class and managed forest region in Canada.
Managed forests 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
0 NA 7.30 25.63 66.08 67.83 52.34 71.83 40.89 16.84 20.14 2.84 46.00 25.79 443.52
Ia 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.20 0.00 0.00 0.42 0.00 1.88 0.00 2.59
Ib 0.00 2.16 10.47 0.72 2.38 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.55 0.48 16.76
II 0.00 3.01 7.19 10.02 10.72 7.26 10.00 5.82 2.52 1.97 27.25 0.70 86.45
III 0.34 0.05 1.54 0.70 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.62
IV 0.00 0.00 0.57 0.33 0.63 0.60 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.33 3.46
V 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
VI <0.01 0.11 <0.01 1.98 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 2.10
Subtotal 7.64 31.05 85.86 81.56 66.07 79.89 50.89 22.65 23.08 4.81 75.67 28.31 557.49
11 NA 12 316.66 16 033.36 18 363.01 25 353.49 23 848.52 12 403.46 12 348.30 5 321.88 2 777.39 1 473.40 9 982.29 6 431.55 146 653.30
Ia 0.35 0.21 1.64 0.60 1.73 0.00 0.18 0.00 <0.01 0.00 0.15 0.00 4.87
Ib 0.74 9.60 8.32 22.53 11.27 6.39 0.72 0.59 0.20 0.10 3.34 0.03 63.83
II 3.74 22.35 18.88 27.01 19.75 7.08 7.49 7.34 2.05 1.56 12.49 0.58 130.32
III 0.56 1.75 1.00 1.63 0.76 1.65 0.92 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.10 0.00 8.36
IV 5.48 7.34 26.22 24.38 69.68 1.76 10.99 0.60 0.12 0.00 0.89 0.11 147.57
V 0.08 0.00 0.00 0.06 0.07 0.41 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.62
VI 0.08 0.95 5.56 10.69 3.32 0.30 0.41 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.00 0.12 21.48
Other 0.33 18.70 11.97 1.87 0.94 0.26 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 34.10
Subtotal 12 328.01 16 094.27 18 436.61 25 442.25 23 956.04 12 421.31 12 369.03 5 330.40 2 779.76 1 475.12 9 999.25 6 432.40 147 064.44
12 NA 1 099.11 2 881.51 2 735.05 3 737.25 3 194.22 1 741.45 1 541.23 372.66 115.06 60.38 298.22 1 911.81 19 687.94
Ia 0.52 0.18 1.35 2.42 3.50 0.17 0.49 0.03 0.00 0.00 0.00 <0.01 8.66
Ib 0.10 0.00 0.19 0.62 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.21 1.13
II 0.01 6.65 35.00 79.76 20.65 12.26 2.31 2.43 0.00 0.00 0.74 1.25 161.07
IV <0.01 0.00 1.93 0.98 0.79 2.83 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 <0.01 6.64
VI 0.20 0.00 <0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.20
Subtotal 1 099.94 2 888.33 2 773.52 3 821.03 3 219.16 1 756.72 1 544.15 375.12 115.06 60.38 298.96 1 913.27 19 865.64
13 NA 3 330.66 8 562.33 11 449.81 10 487.23 14 932.03 31 888.25 21 328.98 7 789.10 238.79 89.53 566.10 5 385.81 116 048.60
Ib 19.86 58.43 34.88 28.77 62.24 378.07 1.61 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.92 584.87
II 1.18 1.96 2.31 3.63 9.78 4.17 183.97 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.51 214.01
IV 0.00 0.00 0.32 0.36 0.23 0.00 2.14 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.06
VI 19.39 1.55 35.61 32.65 25.31 178.72 1.15 0.48 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 294.86
Other 34.99 163.66 177.87 128.84 82.95 75.81 19.36 3.16 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.03 686.66
Subtotal 3 406.08 8 787.93 11 700.80 10 681.48 15 112.52 32 525.03 21 537.21 7 793.24 238.88 89.53 566.10 5 393.27 117 832.06
20 NA 22.31 56.74 108.84 102.52 73.89 23.33 38.98 6.73 6.06 1.56 21.69 18.38 481.02
Ia 0.91 52.61 53.21 45.49 64.91 7.83 48.41 3.43 4.88 0.00 2.03 0.00 283.70
Ib 325.92 524.38 996.83 1 474.71 960.19 751.43 1 013.47 221.96 183.51 72.50 1 069.99 374.33 7 969.21
II 432.72 1 843.45 2 672.05 3 049.06 3 218.16 3 412.77 2 535.83 1 143.19 416.60 317.27 2 103.33 507.77 21 652.19
III 14.52 12.15 16.92 16.50 25.89 22.54 15.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.12 <0.01 123.65
IV 20.37 61.24 144.89 205.83 159.85 21.15 109.88 18.08 6.40 0.17 37.53 72.94 858.35
V 0.23 0.09 2.17 1.10 6.70 2.98 2.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 15.57
VI 0.00 0.13 0.41 0.00 <0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.54
Other 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.06
Subtotal 816.97 2 550.79 3 995.30 4 895.21 4 509.59 4 242.09 3 763.88 1 393.38 617.44 391.49 3 234.70 973.43 31 384.29
31 NA 59.72 341.71 136.08 300.28 166.84 101.44 51.45 130.71 22.49 0.67 12.88 12.35 1 336.63
Ia 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.39 0.40 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.95
Ib 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
II 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.39 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.39
Subtotal 59.72 341.81 136.08 301.06 167.24 101.50 51.45 130.71 22.49 0.67 12.88 12.35 1 337.97
32 NA 140.38 385.42 326.21 253.69 234.87 119.59 65.26 25.85 12.13 16.30 31.84 29.65 1 641.18
Ib 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
II 0.00 0.67 0.22 0.01 0.04 0.05 0.03 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.01
Subtotal 140.38 386.09 326.43 253.69 234.91 119.64 65.28 25.85 12.13 16.30 31.84 29.65 1 642.19
33 NA 770.85 1 172.83 1 128.91 1 533.67 1 013.15 826.22 1 413.47 576.12 487.67 232.18 1 362.02 699.61 11 216.70
Ia 0.63 1.48 4.66 14.78 3.53 1.03 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 26.11
Ib 0.49 0.61 3.87 21.04 20.01 2.38 0.10 0.04 0.52 0.00 0.10 2.82 51.98
II 4.51 1.35 18.04 49.78 78.09 98.80 96.12 24.36 59.46 1.83 115.05 5.50 552.89
III 0.00 0.01 0.51 0.02 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.00 0.65
IV 4.28 8.57 28.54 24.90 91.23 4.76 9.33 0.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.43 172.44
VI 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.71 0.20 6.90 3.42 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 12.22
Other 6.84 9.03 32.85 44.27 39.40 34.42 7.31 1.34 0.00 0.26 0.00 19.16 194.87
Subtotal 787.60 1 193.88 1 217.38 1 690.16 1 245.67 974.50 1 529.75 602.26 547.65 234.26 1 477.21 727.52 12 227.87
40 NA 159.56 380.58 681.02 726.09 768.23 2 447.76 1 011.95 253.72 38.23 8.75 132.62 38.25 6 646.75
Ib 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 7.60 7.72 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 15.32
II 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.18
IV 0.00 0.60 4.69 5.40 0.00 0.00 14.82 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 25.52
VI 0.00 5.80 10.74 5.21 0.19 1.05 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 22.99
Subtotal 159.56 386.99 696.45 736.70 768.41 2 456.48 1 034.60 253.72 38.23 8.75 132.62 38.25 6 710.75
50 NA 2 282.68 4 193.61 5 938.62 5 539.76 3 025.59 1 082.47 408.61 143.59 61.24 34.33 209.22 1 393.87 24 313.57
Ia 0.03 0.95 0.98 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.06
Ib 0.01 0.03 0.53 1.44 0.15 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.16
II 0.74 2.53 4.45 4.78 3.65 1.40 0.47 0.46 0.07 0.00 0.58 <0.01 19.14
III 0.14 0.27 0.03 0.27 0.26 0.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.26
IV 4.20 3.93 4.67 3.21 2.03 0.52 1.98 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.70 21.24
V 0.15 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.73 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.01
VI 0.12 0.32 0.75 2.70 6.01 2.11 0.09 0.00 1.70 2.03 0.00 <0.01 15.84
Other 0.00 0.13 0.00 0.34 0.31 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.79
Subtotal 2 288.06 4 201.77 5 950.04 5 552.65 3 038.72 1 086.89 411.15 144.05 63.00 36.35 209.81 1 394.58 24 377.06
100 NA 173.95 492.16 557.32 527.74 762.22 596.93 620.99 202.41 2.95 1.73 22.52 176.77 4 137.69
Ia 0.00 0.56 0.28 0.74 0.97 0.00 0.97 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.52
Ib 9.96 9.08 19.90 38.86 26.51 6.52 28.69 1.95 0.87 0.05 1.67 7.88 151.94
II 13.23 22.08 63.42 52.53 49.52 37.96 41.42 2.25 1.45 0.04 1.46 6.93 292.27
III 0.00 0.19 0.02 0.29 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.52
IV 0.02 1.57 2.92 6.10 16.90 0.46 6.94 0.71 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 35.62
V 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.40
VI 2.05 0.03 1.82 0.42 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 <0.01 4.33
Other 2.40 3.38 4.35 6.54 8.33 0.73 0.26 0.07 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.06 26.11
Subtotal 201.61 529.06 650.02 633.22 864.84 642.62 699.27 207.38 5.27 1.81 25.66 191.64 4 652.40
Canada NA 20 363.18 34 525.87 41 490.94 48 629.54 48 071.88 51 302.73 38 870.11 14 839.59 3 782.14 1 921.67 12 685.40 16 123.84 332 606.89
Ia 2.42 56.18 62.12 64.52 75.03 9.29 50.07 3.46 5.31 0.00 4.06 <0.01 332.46
Ib 357.08 604.30 1 074.98 1 588.69 1 082.75 1 152.39 1 052.32 224.54 185.18 72.65 1 075.64 386.67 8 857.19
II 456.13 1 904.04 2 821.56 3 276.98 3 410.34 3 581.84 2 877.74 1 186.35 482.14 322.66 2 260.90 529.25 23 109.92
III 15.56 14.41 20.02 19.39 26.96 24.51 15.93 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.27 <0.01 137.06
IV 34.35 83.25 214.77 271.49 341.34 32.08 156.18 19.78 6.53 0.17 38.42 75.52 1 273.88
V 0.46 0.09 2.17 1.21 7.90 3.48 2.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 <0.01 0.00 17.61
VI 21.84 8.90 54.88 55.36 35.03 189.08 5.07 0.48 1.70 2.08 0.00 0.14 374.56
Other 44.56 194.91 227.04 181.86 131.93 111.28 26.94 4.57 0.00 0.26 0.00 19.25 942.60
Total 21 295.58 37 391.97 45 968.49 54 089.03 53 183.16 56 406.68 43 056.67 16 278.76 4 463.00 2 319.47 16 064.69 17 134.67 367 652.17
Source: Canada's National Forest Inventory, combined remeasured (2007-2017) and projected (2006-2017 with NFI projection system) data (Version 2, November 2022) (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
Managed forest
Code Description
0 Not available
11 Long term volume or area based Crown timber dispositions
12 Short term volume or area based Crown timber dispositions
13 No current Crown timber dispostions
20 Legal protection status (IUCN class IA, IB, II, III, IV, V, VI equivalent)
31 Reserved by the Federal government for military or other purposes
32 Reserved by the Federal government under the Indian Act
33 Reserved or designated restricted use by provincial or territorial government
40 Aboriginal lands
50 Privately-owned lands
100 Water