A provincial forest is a type of government-owned land in Canada, controlled by one of Canada's ten provinces. The nature of their management varies between the provinces.
Provincial control of forest lands
The largest class of landowners in Canada are the provincial governments, who hold all unclaimed land in their jurisdiction in the name of the Crown (
Crown Lands
Crown land, also known as royal domain, is a territorial area belonging to the monarch, who personifies the Crown. It is the equivalent of an entailed estate and passes with the monarchy, being inseparable from it. Today, in Commonwealth realm ...
). Over 90% of the sprawling
boreal forest of Canada
Canada's boreal forest is a vast region comprising about one third of the circumpolar boreal forest that rings the Northern Hemisphere, mostly north of the 50th parallel. Other countries with boreal forest include Russia, which contains the majo ...
is provincial Crown land. Provincial lands account for 60% of the area of the province of Alberta, 94% of the land in
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
, 95% of
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...
,
and 48% of
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...
.
Provincial forest lands by province
; Alberta
; Manitoba
;Saskatchewan
See also
*
Forests of Canada
The forests of Canada are located across much of the country. Approximately half of Canada is covered by forest, totaling around . Over 90% of Canada's forests are owned by the public (Crown land and Provincial forest). About half of the forests a ...
References
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Forests of Canada
Types of formally designated forests