Table 22.1. Area (1000 ha) of forest land by IUCN1 category, ownership and terrestrial ecozone in Canada.
Terrestrial ecozone IUCN category Ownership Total
Federal Provincial Territorial Municipal Indigenous Private Other2
Taiga Plains NA 2.38 8 604.18 20 385.76 176.10 2 867.53 9.81 70.67 32 116.45
Ib 172.63 278.49 484.50 0.00 0.84 0.00 0.00 936.46
II 1 005.57 100.86 822.58 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.36 1 929.37
VI 109.11 0.00 175.96 0.00 24.23 0.00 0.00 309.29
Subtotal 1 289.70 8 983.54 21 868.79 176.10 2 892.60 9.81 71.03 35 291.58
Taiga Shield NA 152.62 35 672.25 7 353.47 39.38 1 610.24 90.49 99.22 45 017.67
Ib 0.00 846.63 39.58 0.00 15.99 0.00 0.00 902.20
II 0.00 2 326.62 0.00 0.00 0.00 <0.01 5.08 2 331.71
Subtotal 152.62 38 845.50 7 393.05 39.38 1 626.23 90.50 104.30 48 251.57
Boreal Shield NA 122.36 110 855.30 0.00 305.62 753.73 7 439.74 1 103.54 120 580.30
Ia 0.00 105.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 <0.01 0.00 105.33
Ib 36.68 2 535.76 0.00 0.00 0.00 7.70 <0.01 2 580.14
II 347.75 7 056.77 0.00 0.00 0.00 8.12 118.30 7 530.94
III 0.00 29.77 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 29.77
IV <0.01 828.90 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.25 0.00 829.15
VI 5.31 3.92 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 9.23
Other 0.00 744.73 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 744.73
Subtotal 512.11 122 160.47 0.00 305.62 753.73 7 455.81 1 221.85 132 409.59
Atlantic Maritime NA 59.35 6 689.35 0.00 176.84 0.12 8 709.00 5.17 15 639.84
Ia 14.68 51.21 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.48 0.00 71.36
Ib 0.00 229.13 0.00 0.00 0.00 12.25 0.00 241.38
II 144.69 481.65 0.00 <0.01 0.00 0.08 <0.01 626.42
III 0.00 22.95 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 <0.01 22.95
IV 0.00 44.28 0.00 0.00 0.00 13.81 0.00 58.09
VI 0.00 17.77 0.00 0.00 0.00 <0.01 0.00 17.77
Other 0.00 <0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.85 0.00 0.85
Subtotal 218.72 7 536.35 0.00 176.84 0.12 8 741.46 5.18 16 678.66
Mixedwood Plains NA 5.79 183.72 0.00 0.14 70.52 3 109.02 2.72 3 371.93
Ia 2.12 11.34 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.28 0.00 14.75
II 15.79 14.72 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.33 0.00 31.84
III 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.06 0.00 0.06
IV 0.00 1.95 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.92 0.17 4.03
VI 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.31 0.00 0.31
Subtotal 23.71 211.73 0.00 0.14 70.52 3 113.93 2.89 3 422.92
Boreal Plains NA 6.94 36 508.72 789.92 57.52 435.13 2 004.30 95.41 39 897.95
Ia 0.00 96.48 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 96.48
Ib 31.12 682.83 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 713.95
II 2 309.59 760.89 0.60 0.00 0.00 0.00 <0.01 3 071.09
III 0.00 46.82 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 46.82
IV 0.00 82.44 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.31 0.00 87.75
V 0.00 17.55 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 17.55
VI 0.00 15.31 0.00 0.00 0.00 <0.01 0.00 15.31
Other 0.00 131.85 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 131.85
Subtotal 2 347.66 38 342.88 790.53 57.52 435.13 2 009.62 95.41 44 078.74
Prairies NA 0.63 293.35 0.00 38.60 69.65 934.97 2.05 1 339.25
Ib 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.02
II 0.00 137.15 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.38 0.44 137.97
III 0.00 2.68 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 2.69
IV 0.00 19.84 0.00 0.00 0.00 7.46 0.00 27.30
V 0.00 0.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.40
VI 0.00 0.28 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.32 0.00 0.61
Other 0.00 22.39 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 22.39
Subtotal 0.63 476.09 0.00 38.60 69.65 943.17 2.48 1 530.63
Taiga Cordillera NA 0.03 0.00 5 392.49 0.00 361.70 0.00 1.69 5 755.91
Ib 0.00 0.00 157.66 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 157.66
II 38.90 0.00 383.32 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.99 424.21
III 0.00 0.00 8.81 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 8.81
IV 0.00 0.00 30.68 0.00 22.66 0.00 0.00 53.34
Subtotal 38.93 0.00 5 972.96 0.00 384.37 0.00 3.67 6 399.93
Boreal Cordillera NA 3.68 7 028.43 10 576.86 47.25 1 070.76 13.18 1.51 18 741.67
Ib 0.00 1 221.94 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1 221.94
II 151.61 769.43 194.29 0.00 0.00 0.00 17.37 1 132.69
IV 0.00 28.53 96.90 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 125.43
Subtotal 155.29 9 048.32 10 868.05 47.25 1 070.76 13.18 18.87 21 221.73
Pacific Maritime NA 25.89 8 496.90 0.00 89.42 179.88 804.27 125.31 9 721.68
Ia 0.00 4.48 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.48
Ib 0.00 216.65 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 216.65
II 153.13 1 870.90 0.00 0.00 0.10 5.29 0.00 2 029.41
III 0.00 0.16 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.56 0.00 0.72
IV 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
V 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Subtotal 179.02 10 589.09 0.00 89.42 179.98 810.11 125.31 11 972.94
Montane Cordillera NA 56.16 27 996.57 0.00 49.39 46.43 1 052.59 523.37 29 724.51
Ia 0.00 38.26 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 38.26
Ib 0.00 1 290.28 0.00 0.00 0.00 9.52 0.00 1 299.80
II 1 084.35 2 476.76 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.78 <0.01 3 563.89
III 0.00 22.52 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 22.52
IV 0.00 29.77 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 29.77
VI 0.00 12.74 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 12.74
Other 0.00 42.63 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 42.63
Subtotal 1 140.51 31 909.53 0.00 49.39 46.43 1 064.89 523.37 34 734.11
Hudson Plains NA 0.00 10 182.83 0.00 0.35 61.28 18.62 668.40 10 931.49
Ib 0.00 385.37 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.50 395.87
II 99.33 136.56 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 26.08 261.97
IV 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.28 0.28
Subtotal 99.33 10 704.77 0.00 0.35 61.28 18.62 705.25 11 589.61
Canada NA 435.84 252 511.62 44 498.51 980.63 7 526.97 24 186.01 2 699.07 332 838.64
Ia 16.80 307.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.76 0.00 330.65
Ib 240.44 7 687.09 681.73 0.00 16.83 29.48 10.50 8 666.06
II 5 350.72 16 132.30 1 400.79 <0.01 0.10 17.99 169.61 23 071.51
III 0.00 124.90 8.81 0.00 0.00 0.63 <0.01 134.34
IV <0.01 1 035.70 127.58 0.00 22.66 28.74 0.45 1 215.13
V 0.00 17.95 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 17.95
VI 114.42 50.02 175.96 0.00 24.23 0.64 0.00 365.26
Other 0.00 941.60 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.85 0.00 942.45
Total 6 158.22 278 808.26 46 893.38 980.63 7 590.80 24 271.11 2 879.63 367 582.01
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, unknown or other ownerships.
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