Canada’s forests are managed for multiple objectives with varying degrees of management intensity. Governments, forest companies, Indigenous Peoples, communities and stakeholders are all engaged in the forest management planning process. Management objectives and the plans developed by professional foresters to achieve those objectives differ from place to place.

Canada’s forests are managed for multiple objectives with varying degrees of management intensity. Governments, forest companies, Indigenous Peoples, communities and stakeholders are all engaged in the forest management planning process. Management objectives and the plans developed by professional foresters to achieve those objectives differ from place to place. People often group Canada’s forests into two categories: the managed forest and the unmanaged forest. Sometimes this type of classification is helpful, but the reality is far more complex and interesting. This interactive Story Map presents information on land designations, ownerships, tenures and protection statuses to provide a comprehensive picture of the geography of forest management in Canada. This story map has been updated from an earlier 2017 version to show land designations in 2020.