Table 18C.1. Annual change in total above-ground biomass (million tonnes) on forest land by species group, age class and terrestrial ecozone in Canada.
Terrestrial ecozone Species group Age (years) Total
1-20 21-40 41-60 61-80 81-100 101-120 121-140 141-160 161-180 181-200 201+ Other1
Taiga Plains Unclassified - - - - - - - - - - - 0.01 0.01
Fir - <0.01 0.03 0.02 0.04 0.17 0.00 - - - - - 0.27
Larch 0.01 0.10 0.13 0.32 0.27 0.20 0.19 0.06 -0.00 0.01 0.01 - 1.30
Spruce -0.01 0.72 0.59 -1.40 -179.14 175.02 2.06 1.64 1.39 0.41 0.20 - 1.49
Birch 0.09 0.27 0.30 0.76 0.56 0.32 0.34 0.14 0.03 - - - 2.80
Pine 0.04 0.36 0.69 2.02 0.80 0.20 0.12 0.40 0.10 <0.01 0.05 - 4.78
Poplar 0.14 0.58 -3.58 -9.82 13.61 0.32 3.35 1.83 0.36 - - - 6.79
Subtotal 0.27 2.03 -1.84 -8.09 -163.86 176.23 6.06 4.08 1.87 0.42 0.26 0.01 17.43
Taiga Shield Spruce -0.04 1.44 4.93 -8.31 -8.03 -48.69 -8.59 58.65 0.08 0.20 2.93 - -5.45
Unclassified - - - - - - - - - - - -0.12 -0.12
Other hardwoods - -0.00 <0.01 0.00 -0.00 -0.01 0.00 - - - - - -0.01
Maple - - - 0.00 0.00 - - - - - - - 0.00
Fir - 0.02 0.13 -0.20 0.22 -0.84 0.64 0.06 0.02 - - - 0.05
Birch 0.11 0.06 0.05 0.03 -0.12 0.15 - - - - - - 0.28
Larch 0.01 0.08 0.23 0.17 0.28 0.15 0.09 0.10 0.01 0.01 0.01 - 1.14
Poplar 0.04 0.20 0.17 0.26 -2.30 3.40 <0.01 - - - - - 1.77
Pine 0.13 0.88 0.57 0.59 0.15 -0.05 0.06 - - - - - 2.32
Subtotal 0.24 2.67 6.08 -7.46 -9.81 -45.89 -7.80 58.81 0.11 0.21 2.95 -0.12 -0.02
Boreal Shield Spruce -0.72 2.18 11.21 -8.08 -62.77 -35.81 38.74 -3.75 0.71 0.13 0.13 0.08 -57.94
Poplar 1.23 2.17 -3.13 -18.70 -8.62 -1.83 -0.10 0.05 -0.14 0.07 0.04 <0.01 -28.96
Birch 0.35 1.47 -6.08 -6.44 -1.18 1.29 -0.51 -0.05 -0.13 0.03 -0.03 <0.01 -11.27
Pine -0.39 4.41 0.08 -5.38 -11.10 0.71 1.53 0.22 0.03 <0.01 - <0.01 -9.88
Unspecified conifers -5.80 0.62 0.68 0.07 0.04 - - - - - - <0.01 -4.38
Unclassified -2.00 0.12 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 - - - - -1.30 -3.17
Hemlock - <0.01 -0.12 -0.07 0.26 -0.25 -0.09 -0.07 -0.01 -0.10 -0.08 - -0.53
Cedar & other conifers -0.00 -0.20 0.04 -0.24 0.07 0.32 -0.05 -0.28 0.05 -0.02 - - -0.32
Other hardwoods -0.03 <0.01 0.33 -0.61 0.14 -0.10 -0.04 0.05 -0.00 - - <0.01 -0.26
Unspecified hardwoods -1.07 0.82 0.57 0.02 0.47 0.01 0.01 - - - - - 0.83
Larch -1.75 0.47 0.93 0.95 0.34 0.24 0.35 -0.01 -0.02 0.01 - 0.01 1.52
Maple -0.17 0.94 0.60 10.69 -1.66 -2.05 -2.98 -1.85 -0.11 -0.32 -0.02 - 3.09
Fir 0.49 5.64 6.36 -0.86 4.47 -0.39 1.58 0.41 0.02 -0.07 0.06 <0.01 17.71
Subtotal -9.86 18.64 11.47 -28.62 -79.55 -37.86 38.46 -5.27 0.40 -0.26 0.11 -1.19 -93.54
Atlantic Maritime Other hardwoods -1.16 0.38 -0.08 -0.10 0.05 -0.01 - - - - - - -0.92
Cedar & other conifers 0.09 0.12 -0.49 -0.13 -0.23 0.12 0.21 0.03 - - - - -0.28
Unclassified -0.10 0.03 <0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 - - - - - -0.10 -0.15
Hemlock -0.00 -0.02 -0.16 0.09 -0.00 0.07 <0.01 <0.01 - - - - -0.02
Poplar -0.23 -0.30 -1.74 0.72 1.28 0.33 - -0.00 - -0.01 - - 0.06
Unspecified hardwoods -0.30 0.22 0.21 0.18 0.03 <0.01 - - - - - 0.00 0.34
Larch -0.01 0.04 0.07 0.18 0.11 0.01 <0.01 -0.00 - - - - 0.41
Pine -0.21 0.39 -0.26 0.16 0.31 0.37 0.03 - - - - - 0.79
Unspecified conifers -0.59 0.73 0.48 0.27 0.04 - - - - - - <0.01 0.93
Fir -0.01 -1.17 -2.62 1.88 2.42 1.55 0.01 0.10 - - - - 2.15
Birch -0.14 0.80 -0.92 1.65 0.66 0.90 0.01 - - - - - 2.96
Spruce -0.12 1.14 -4.72 3.70 2.98 1.36 0.45 0.02 -0.01 0.01 - 0.00 4.81
Maple -0.36 -0.22 -5.95 4.58 4.25 2.53 0.03 0.11 0.02 - 0.00 0.00 5.00
Subtotal -3.15 2.14 -16.18 13.20 11.90 7.25 0.75 0.26 <0.01 0.01 0.00 -0.10 16.07
Mixedwood Plains Fir 0.01 -0.69 0.21 0.13 -0.02 0.03 -0.00 - - - - - -0.33
Poplar -0.08 -0.68 -0.14 0.62 0.14 0.14 0.01 - - - - - -0.01
Hemlock - 0.00 -0.18 0.07 0.07 0.05 -0.01 - - - - - <0.01
Unspecified conifers 0.02 0.07 0.03 <0.01 - - - - - - - - 0.12
Unclassified 0.02 0.07 - - - - - - - - - 0.06 0.14
Birch 0.02 0.04 0.07 0.06 -0.03 0.02 0.00 - - - - - 0.17
Spruce 0.01 0.04 -0.04 0.13 0.03 0.00 <0.01 - - - - - 0.18
Larch 0.01 0.01 0.18 -0.02 0.02 - - - - - - - 0.20
Pine -0.07 -0.07 0.17 0.27 0.08 0.02 0.02 0.00 - - - - 0.41
Cedar & other conifers -0.01 -0.08 -0.02 0.41 0.21 0.04 -0.03 0.07 - - - - 0.59
Unspecified hardwoods -0.10 0.12 0.41 0.03 0.13 - - - - - - - 0.59
Other hardwoods -0.02 -0.39 -0.16 0.61 0.74 0.06 0.04 - - - - - 0.89
Maple -0.03 -0.63 -0.91 0.50 1.58 0.44 0.17 0.03 0.02 - - - 1.17
Subtotal -0.24 -2.19 -0.37 2.82 2.95 0.79 0.20 0.10 0.02 - - 0.06 4.15
Boreal Plains Unclassified - - - - - - - - - - - -0.68 -0.68
Fir 0.00 -0.01 -0.02 -0.01 0.01 -0.06 0.08 -0.13 0.02 0.02 0.03 - -0.06
Other hardwoods 0.00 -0.03 -0.01 0.02 -0.00 0.00 - -0.00 <0.01 - - - -0.02
Unspecified hardwoods - 0.00 - - - - - - - - - - 0.00
Cedar & other conifers 0.00 0.00 <0.01 - - - - <0.01 - - - - <0.01
Maple -0.00 0.03 0.11 0.01 <0.01 -0.01 - - - - - - 0.13
Birch 0.07 0.24 -0.50 1.08 0.28 0.21 0.01 -0.01 - - - 0.00 1.39
Pine 0.61 1.50 -3.10 2.94 -0.50 -1.51 2.50 0.10 0.58 0.03 0.00 <0.01 3.16
Larch 0.06 0.13 0.48 0.52 0.62 0.72 0.54 0.22 -0.04 -0.01 0.02 - 3.25
Spruce 0.62 0.84 -8.67 6.56 3.62 4.05 4.63 3.02 0.39 -0.03 0.32 - 15.36
Poplar 1.93 0.49 -22.67 17.44 10.61 6.82 4.72 1.61 0.15 <0.01 - 0.00 21.10
Subtotal 3.30 3.18 -34.37 28.56 14.63 10.23 12.48 4.81 1.10 0.02 0.38 -0.68 43.63
Prairies Poplar 0.69 2.89 -1.10 -3.84 -4.97 0.04 - 0.00 - - - - -6.29
Spruce 0.00 0.02 0.02 -0.21 0.00 -0.23 0.01 0.03 - - - - -0.36
Fir 0.00 0.00 - 0.00 - - - - - - - - 0.00
Other hardwoods 0.00 0.00 <0.01 - - - - - - - - - <0.01
Larch - <0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 - - - - - - - <0.01
Douglas-fir - - <0.01 <0.01 0.00 - - - - - - - <0.01
Birch 0.01 0.01 <0.01 -0.00 - - - - - - - - 0.01
Maple <0.01 <0.01 0.01 0.00 - - - - - - - - 0.02
Pine <0.01 0.01 0.08 -0.05 -0.02 0.09 - - - - - - 0.10
Unclassified - - - - - - - - - - - 0.13 0.13
Subtotal 0.71 2.93 -0.99 -4.09 -5.00 -0.10 0.01 0.03 - - - 0.13 -6.38
Taiga Cordillera Birch 0.00 <0.01 -0.00 -0.77 0.74 0.01 - - - - - - -0.02
Unclassified - - - - - - - - - - - 0.00 0.00
Pine - -0.03 -0.04 0.01 0.05 0.02 - - - - - - 0.01
Larch 0.00 0.00 <0.01 - - <0.01 - 0.01 - - - - 0.02
Poplar 0.00 0.02 0.03 - -0.01 0.02 <0.01 - - - - - 0.06
Fir - -0.00 -0.10 -0.00 -0.21 0.28 0.17 0.43 0.00 - - - 0.57
Spruce -0.01 -1.19 0.27 0.98 0.36 -38.25 40.37 0.34 0.37 0.03 - - 3.26
Subtotal -0.00 -1.20 0.15 0.22 0.93 -37.92 40.54 0.78 0.37 0.03 - 0.00 3.89
Boreal Cordillera Fir -0.01 -0.03 -0.11 -0.26 -0.75 0.59 0.62 0.55 0.28 -0.18 -4.94 - -4.24
Unclassified - - - - - - - - - - - -0.03 -0.03
Larch <0.01 <0.01 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01 <0.01 - - - - 0.08
Birch -0.01 -0.05 0.13 0.24 0.02 0.31 0.17 0.02 <0.01 - - - 0.84
Poplar -0.01 -0.39 -0.27 2.06 1.76 1.69 0.59 0.41 -0.06 0.10 -0.01 - 5.87
Pine <0.01 -0.68 0.02 1.41 -1.36 4.31 2.98 0.55 0.09 0.37 0.58 - 8.28
Spruce 0.02 -0.45 -0.46 -1.30 -10.11 7.49 8.27 6.05 1.77 0.14 -1.32 - 10.10
Subtotal <0.01 -1.58 -0.69 2.17 -10.43 14.40 12.65 7.58 2.09 0.43 -5.70 -0.03 20.90
Pacific Maritime Fir -0.02 -0.00 0.11 0.31 -0.11 -0.59 0.60 0.22 -0.02 0.19 -1.43 - -0.73
Pine -0.01 0.15 -0.12 -0.01 0.06 -0.30 -0.31 0.35 <0.01 -0.20 -0.30 - -0.69
Spruce -0.02 -0.09 0.49 0.02 -0.29 0.04 0.04 0.01 0.24 -0.47 -0.52 - -0.55
Unclassified - - <0.01 - - - - - - - - -0.13 -0.13
Unspecified hardwoods 0.00 - - <0.01 - - - - - - - - <0.01
Maple <0.01 -0.01 0.04 -0.33 0.46 0.01 0.01 - - - 0.04 - 0.23
Birch -0.01 0.06 0.02 -0.00 0.14 0.05 0.08 0.03 - - 0.04 - 0.41
Other hardwoods 0.03 0.02 0.58 0.24 0.54 0.36 -0.01 0.02 <0.01 0.10 0.13 - 2.02
Poplar - -0.01 0.05 0.14 0.20 0.93 0.11 0.11 -0.08 0.19 0.41 - 2.06
Hemlock 0.11 -1.06 1.72 -0.57 2.07 -1.62 -1.43 -0.23 0.92 -0.28 3.09 - 2.71
Douglas-fir 0.05 -0.26 1.07 0.86 1.37 0.64 -0.16 0.50 -1.05 0.45 0.08 - 3.55
Cedar & other conifers -0.03 0.18 0.26 0.41 0.26 0.15 -0.16 0.60 0.33 0.43 2.88 - 5.32
Subtotal 0.10 -1.02 4.24 1.07 4.70 -0.32 -1.24 1.62 0.35 0.41 4.42 -0.13 14.19
Montane Cordillera Pine 0.15 1.32 0.08 -7.28 0.84 -2.72 -6.11 -0.84 -2.69 -1.44 1.47 - -17.22
Douglas-fir -0.17 -1.43 -1.18 -4.82 -2.41 0.08 1.14 4.25 -0.38 0.38 1.35 - -3.17
Larch -0.01 -0.02 -0.15 -0.89 0.10 -0.23 -0.01 0.03 0.24 -0.03 0.14 - -0.83
Hemlock 0.01 -0.10 -0.17 0.11 -0.23 0.22 0.65 -0.06 0.02 0.12 -1.32 - -0.76
Other hardwoods - 0.00 0.00 - - - - -0.01 -0.01 0.01 - - -0.01
Unclassified - - - - - - - - - - - 0.04 0.04
Spruce 0.03 0.27 1.57 0.28 1.08 1.06 0.75 2.75 -0.53 -6.30 -0.46 - 0.49
Cedar & other conifers <0.01 -0.15 0.27 <0.01 -0.16 0.10 0.13 -0.05 -0.20 -0.53 1.57 - 0.99
Birch 0.01 0.14 1.02 0.30 0.15 0.33 0.19 0.22 <0.01 <0.01 0.01 - 2.36
Fir -0.01 -0.66 -0.05 -0.49 -0.60 1.32 1.14 3.38 3.70 -0.26 -2.19 - 5.26
Poplar -0.06 0.57 0.72 1.00 2.97 2.48 0.61 1.09 -0.10 0.26 0.20 - 9.75
Subtotal -0.05 -0.07 2.11 -11.78 1.74 2.63 -1.52 10.75 0.07 -7.78 0.77 0.04 -3.09
Hudson Plains Spruce -0.08 0.55 1.05 0.70 -5.07 -6.79 9.09 0.07 0.03 0.00 - - -0.47
Unclassified - - - - - - - - - - - -0.01 -0.01
Cedar & other conifers - - <0.01 - - - -0.00 - - - - - -0.00
Unspecified conifers - -0.00 0.01 - - - - - - - - - <0.01
Poplar <0.01 <0.01 0.05 -0.17 0.10 0.03 <0.01 - - - - - 0.02
Fir - 0.01 0.03 -0.01 -0.00 0.01 - - - - - - 0.04
Birch <0.01 0.02 0.01 <0.01 - 0.01 - - - - - - 0.05
Pine -0.02 0.12 0.02 0.11 0.08 0.03 - - - - - - 0.34
Larch -0.05 0.06 0.08 0.09 0.18 0.05 0.03 <0.01 <0.01 0.00 - - 0.43
Subtotal -0.15 0.76 1.25 0.72 -4.71 -6.67 9.12 0.07 0.04 0.00 - -0.01 0.40
Canada Spruce -0.32 5.46 6.23 -6.93 -257.35 59.24 95.82 68.83 4.43 -5.87 1.30 0.08 -29.08
Pine 0.22 8.36 -1.80 -5.20 -10.62 1.16 0.81 0.79 -1.88 -1.23 1.79 <0.01 -7.60
Unclassified -2.08 0.21 <0.01 0.03 0.01 0.01 0.00 - - - - -2.16 -3.98
Unspecified conifers -6.38 1.43 1.20 0.34 0.08 - - - - - - <0.01 -3.32
Birch 0.50 3.06 -5.90 -3.09 1.23 3.60 0.28 0.35 -0.09 0.03 0.02 <0.01 -0.00
Douglas-fir -0.11 -1.69 -0.11 -3.95 -1.04 0.72 0.98 4.75 -1.44 0.82 1.43 - 0.38
Hemlock 0.11 -1.18 1.09 -0.37 2.15 -1.54 -0.88 -0.36 0.93 -0.26 1.70 - 1.41
Other hardwoods -1.19 -0.02 0.68 0.17 1.47 0.31 -0.01 0.06 -0.01 0.10 0.13 <0.01 1.70
Unspecified hardwoods -1.47 1.16 1.19 0.23 0.63 0.01 0.01 - - - - 0.00 1.76
Cedar & other conifers 0.06 -0.13 0.06 0.46 0.15 0.73 0.09 0.37 0.18 -0.12 4.45 - 6.31
Larch -1.73 0.86 1.95 1.34 1.94 1.16 1.20 0.41 0.20 -0.01 0.19 0.01 7.52
Maple -0.56 0.12 -6.10 15.45 4.64 0.92 -2.77 -1.70 -0.07 -0.32 0.02 0.00 9.64
Poplar 3.66 5.53 -31.61 -10.29 14.76 14.37 9.32 5.10 0.13 0.62 0.63 <0.01 12.22
Fir 0.45 3.11 3.98 0.50 5.46 2.07 4.84 5.02 4.03 -0.30 -8.47 <0.01 20.69
Total -8.84 26.30 -29.15 -11.29 -236.49 82.76 109.72 83.61 6.41 -6.53 3.19 -2.04 17.64
Source: Canada's National Forest Inventory, combined remeasured (2007-2017) and projected (2006-2017 with NFI projection system) data, where plots with strong indicators of artificial change are removed. Artificial change between successive plot measurements can be caused by using different image sources, incorporating vintage baseline inventories, and updating photo-interpretation techniques (Version 3.1, November 2025) (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 Missing or unknown age class.