Canada is known for its forest habitats. In fact, over half of the country is covered in forests, and Canada is home to almost 10 percent of the world’s forests. From the boreal forest in Newfoundland to the majestic coastal forests of Vancouver Island, each province is home to many unique forests.
Forest Regions in Canada
The forests of Canada are located within eight different regions:
-
Acadian Forest Region
Located in Quebec as well as the Maritime Provinces in Eastern Canada, and extends into the United States.
-
Boreal Forest Region
The largest forest region in Canada. It is located in the north and contains about one-third of the world’s circumpolar boreal forests (also sometimes referred to as a snow forest).
-
Coast Forest Region
Located on the west coast, this region is home to almost entirely coniferous trees such as the Douglas-fir, Sitka spruce, western hemlock, and western red cedar.
-
Columbia Forest Region
This region is located between the Rocky Mountains and the central plateau in British Columbia.
-
Deciduous Forest Region
This Canadian forest region is located between Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, and Lake Erie in southwestern Ontario.
-
Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Forest
This region is the second-largest forest region and is located from southeastern Manitoba to the Gaspé Peninsula.
-
Montane Forest Region
Located in the west of Canada, this region covers parts of the Kootenays, the central plateau of British Columbia, and a number of valleys close to Alberta’s border.
-
Subalpine Forest Region
This region is located in British Columbia and Alberta.
Want to plant trees in honor of Canadian National Tree Week?!
Click here!
12 Famous Forests of Canada
British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest
The Great Bear Rainforest is a temperate rain forest on the Pacific coast of British Columbia located across 6.4 million hectares! It is part of the larger Pacific temperate rainforest ecoregion, which is the largest coastal temperate rainforest in the world.
British Columbia’s Douglas-Fir Forests
British Columbia is also known for its old-growth forests that are filled with centuries-old Douglas-fir. If you’re wanting to check out some of these famous old-grown forests, be sure to go to Chase Woods Nature Preserve. It is a 40-hectare forest located on Mount Tzouhalem in BC’s Cowichan Valley. Chase Woods is a popular spot for tourists, locals, and hikers.
Did you know? The Douglas-fir is not a true fir tree and is named after David Douglas, the Scottish botanist who introduced many of British Columbia’s native conifers to Europe
Alberta’s Mountain Forests
Alberta Mountain Forests cover the grand Rocky Mountains of Alberta. Located almost entirely in Alberta and taking in the Alberta-British Columbia border all the way from Banff to Jasper.
Saskatchewan’s Maymont 5: West Parklands Natural Area
On the south bank of the North Saskatchewan River is a 55-hectare property called Maymont 5. Maymont 5 is home to many rare and endangered species. This area is a part of Nature Conservancy Canada’s West Parklands Natural Area. Maymont 5 forms the southern transition to the boreal forest, which is a very specific type of Canada’s prairies. Start your walk through this forest at the south end of the Maymont Bridge. Walk east through the aspen forest, up the grassland hills until you reach the top to watch the river below.
Manitoba’s Elk Glen
Elk Glen, located in western Manitoba is a 645-hectare forest on the southern edge of Riding Mountain National Park. This famous forest will give you the opportunity to experience the various forest, prairie, and wetland types in one visit. The aspen and oak trees provide habitats for many birds, bears, moose, and elk.
Ontario’s Happy Valley Forest
Located in King Township, just north of Toronto, is one of the largest remaining deciduous forests in Oak Ridges Moraine, covering 1154 hectares of land. Happy Valley forest is home to hundreds of old-growth sugar maple trees and various beech tree species.
Fun fact about Oak Ridges Moraine: The Oak Ridges Moraine is one of Ontario’s most significant landforms. The Moraine has a unique concentration of environmental, geological, and hydrological features that make its ecosystem vital to south-central Ontario.
Sign up for the TreeEra Newsletter to plant one tree for free!
Quebec’s Angell Woods
Angell Woods is an old-growth forest in Beaconsfield, Quebec, Canada. The Angell Woods are the only remaining old-growth forest as well as the largest wetland on the Island of Montreal.
Quebec’s Green Mountains
Green Mountains Nature Reserve is Quebec’s largest privately held conservation area. The 7001 hectares of land is only a 2-hour drive away from Montreal. The forests support many plant species, birds, and various mammals. You’ll be able to experience the beauty of deciduous birches, beeches, ash, and maple trees.
New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy: Musquash Estuary
The Musquash Estuary is the Bay of Fundy’s last fully functioning estuary. This ecologically diverse area is approximately 1713 hectares and is home to six important habitats.
What is an estuary? An estuary is the tidal mouth of a large river, where the tide meets the stream. High levels of nutrients make estuaries one of the most biologically productive environments in the world.
Nova Scotia’s Gaff Point
The coastal hikes on Nova Scotia’s Gaff Point will start on white-sand beaches and lead you through rugged conifer forests, which will then open up to grasslands rewarding you with views of the ocean. Be prepared to see whales, seals, and a variety of birds during your hike.
Prince Edward Island’s Boughton Island
This six-kilometer, spruce tree forest runs along the pristine shoreline of Prince Edward Island. Be sure to keep your eyes open for glimpses of bald eagles, great blue herons, and the endangered nesting piping plover.
Fun Fact: Boughton Island is PEI’s third-largest island and has been completely uninhabited since World War II.
Newfoundland’s Boreal Forest
The Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland is home to North America’s most easterly forest. The forest consists primarily of balsam fir, white and yellow birch trees. This unique forest habitat also has a high diversity of lichens – more than any boreal forest in the rest of Canada.
What is a lichen? Lichens are bizarre organisms and no two are alike. Lichens are a complex life form that is a symbiotic partnership of two separate organisms, a fungus, and an alga.
TreeEra helps individuals and businesses reduce human impact on the planet we love by community-funding the planting of trees.
Interested in getting involved?
