Public Influenence on Reforestation in British Columbia

Robert G Brown, M.F., R.F.P
Manager, Regeneration Programs
[Ministry of Forests] [Forest Practices Branch]

Introduction

British Columbia is a very large and diverse province, spanning 11 degrees of latitude, from the 49th to the 60th parallels, and 25 degrees of longitude. The land area is about 95 million hectares, roughly four times the size of Great Britain (Figure 1). Only 30 nations in the world are larger than B.C. It is the third largest province in Canada.

Figure 1
Figure 1. British Columbia is roughly four times the size of Great Britain and has 7% of the world's softwood growing stock.

Issues such as wilderness preservation, biodiversity, old growth, and clearcutting commonly arise in the media. One issue that has subsided, however, is that of inadequate reforestation. This paper follows the development of reforestation in British Columbia and the history of public opinion on this subject. It also describes some of the key changes in forest policy and silviculture practices which are behind the recent positive changes in public opinion.

  • About British Columbia
  • History of Reforestation and Related Public Opinion
  • Factors Behind the Recent Change in Public Opinion
  • Summary and Concluding Remarks
  • Acknowledgements and References
  • Appendix

  • Text Only Version
    • Prepared for the Third Global Conference on Paper & the Environment
    London, England
    March, 1995