British Columbia

~~Forests~~

The forests of British Columbia are probably our most prized resource. With almost half the province as forest land, and as the social and economic health of the province depends greatly on the state of the forest industry, it is easy to understand why. Our forests, however, are far more than just a fibre supply, and are cherished and protected as a legacy for generations to come. A new Forest Practices Code coupled with the Forest Renewal Act is aimed to assure us that these magnificent stands of trees will always be a part of British Columbia.

Visitors to our province cannot avoid our forests, for they are evident even in Stanley Park in downtown Vancouver. Most visitors prefer to see natural stands of old-growth forest, however, it is likely they will also see evidence of the working forest and timber harvesting. For an interesting perceptive of the industry, many logging companies and sawmills offer free timber tours and mill tours.

Nonetheless, nothing compares to a hike or walk through a section of the old-growth coastal rainforest. These giant trees may be viewed in MacMillan Provincial Park (Cathedral Grove), Carmanah Pacific Provincial Park, Clayoquot Sound, Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, Goldstream Provincial Park, Cape Scott Provincial Park and Pacific Rim National Park on Vancouver Island. Some other important forests are in the newly created parks (no facilities, trails or campsites)of the Stein Valley, the Kitlope Valley, the Khutzeymateen, Tatshenshini-Alsek and Ts'yl-os Provincial Parks.

Apart from the Provincial and National Parks which protect our forests, there are many other opportunities to explore, camp and hike in BC forests. There are more than 1,300 rustic recreation (camping) sites, 5,000km of trails and over 70 interpretive sites of forest land throughout the province. Enjoy our forests, but please be careful with fire.

Learn about the heritage and history of this beautiful province by choosing the next button.

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