5 Types of Commercial Forests
- Boreal forest region
- By far the largest forest region
- Found in Boreal Shield, Boreal Plains, and Boreal Cordillera ecozones
- Mainly softwood trees of which black spruce is the most common
- Slow tree growth to long winter and low precipitation
- Small trees are most common here
- Taiga forest region
- Found in the Taiga Plains, Taiga Shield, Hudson Plains, and Taiga Cordillera ecozones
- Stunted trees due to thin soils, cool temperatures, short growing season, and areas of permafrost
- Coniferous trees and some deciduous trees
- Since most of this forest is inaccessible and far from markets, only small parts are logged, most often for pulp and papermaking
- West coast forest region
- Found in Pacific Maritime ecozone
- Most productive forest in Canada because of volume of wood, per hectare, and it is highest in Canada
- Temperate coniferous rain forest grows on the western slopes of the coastal mountains
- Abundant relief precipitation, moderate temperatures, and long growing season
- The trees are very large here so most of the woods is used to make lumber, cedar shingles, and plywood
- Montane forest region
- Found in Montane Cordillera ecozone
- Lower precipitation levels and shorter growing season than the West Coast Forest Region
- Smaller coniferous trees such as lodgepole pine, and ponderosa pine
- Both lumber, pulp, and paper are made from the logs cut here
- Mixed forest region
- Found in Mixedwood Plains and Atlantic Maritime ecozones
- Longer growing season and more precipitation than Boreal Forest region
- In the north, which is near the Boreal Forest, fir and spruce dominate
- In the south, coniferous trees such as white pine and hemlock grow together with hardy deciduous trees
- Conifers are harvested for lumber and pulp and paper
- Warmer temperatures, longer growing seasons, and abundant precipitation allow the growth of hardwood trees