The State of BC’s Forests The Indicators Protected forests — PDF print version

Indicator 2 – Protected forests

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Overview

• Protected areas are established for a variety of reasons, including to protect representative examples of diverse ecosystems and to protect key resource values. They provide natural habitats for plants and animals, areas for scientific study and wilderness for recreational, cultural and spiritual pursuits.
• A generally representative 10% of British Columbia’s forests are strictly protected.

STATE

good

TREND

improving

INFORMATION

partial

Questions about protected forests

2-1	Are B.C.’s protected forests representative of its total forests?
2-2	What are the areas, types and ages of B.C.’s protected forests?
2-3	How has the geographic distribution of protected forests changed?
2-4	How much of B.C.’s older forests is protected?
	What does this indicator tell us about sustainable forest management?

Related indicators

• Pressures such as logging and environmental activism (see Timber harvest, Public involvement, Law) have influenced the extent and location of protected forests. Their condition is affected by fire, disease, invasive species (see Ecosystem dynamics, Exotic species), climate change and recreational users (see Greenhouse gases, Recreation).
• The state of protected forests influences habitats for wildlife (see Species diversity) and recreational opportunities (see Recreation).
• Management responses include planning, facilities and restoration.

Indicator 2-1

Are B.C.’s protected forests representative of its total forests?

larger versions – HTML | PDF | Excel — Biogeoclimatic zone descriptions

• Protecting representative examples of all forest ecosystems is expected to help maintain the diversity of forest-dependent species.
• B.C.’s protected areas have tripled in area since 1950 and doubled since 1991. The area of protected forests increased 134% from 1991 to 2002; protected areas now include 5.7 million ha (10%) of B.C.’s forests.
• Low-elevation forests, which account for 72% of all forests in B.C., are represented with 8% protected in 2002. High-elevation forests are represented with 15% protected in 2002.
• In 2002, the proportion of protected forest in each biogeoclimatic zone varied from 5% to 20%.
• The Coastal Douglas-fir, Ponderosa Pine and Interior Douglas-fir zones have the lowest representation, each with 5% of forests protected.
• The above figures are based on areas protected by the national and provincial governments. Regional parks, municipal parks and private conservation lands provide limited additional areas.
• Only a few, small changes in areas were made between 2002 and 2004.

Information

• Estimates of representativeness depend on 1950s inventory data and satellite imagery for about half of the protected forests.
• Representativeness estimates based on forest area are reliable.

Sources: BC Parks, Strategic Land Use Planning

Related maps: Protected Areas (PDF), Biogeoclimatic Zones (PDF)

Detailed information: Indicator 2-1 (Excel)

• MP (1999) 1.1.c
• CCFM (1995) 1.1.3
• CCFM (2003) 1.1.2

Indicator 2-2

What are the areas, types and ages of B.C.’s protected forests?

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• Forests may be strictly protected (IUCN categories I to III) or partially protected (IUCN categories IV to VI) by limiting resource development.
• B.C.’s protected forests (IUCN I to III) are mostly coniferous, dominated by lodgepole pine, spruces and true firs, like B.C.’s total forests.
• Older forests are represented well in protected forests. The proportions of protected (and total) forest area over 100 years old are 78% (62%); over 140 years old, 63% (41%); and over 250 years old, 27% (14%).
• In addition, B.C. limits resource development in large special management zones that cover 14 million ha (forest and non-forest) and in many smaller riparian and other sensitive zones. While these areas may not meet all aspects of IUCN definitions for categories IV to VI, their management objectives may be similar to those of one or more IUCN categories. Cumulatively, they provide substantial additional areas that help maintain ecological processes and forest-dependent species.

Information

• Analysis of the representativeness of protected forests based on species and age is less reliable than that based on forest area.
• Only satellite imagery is available for a few large parks, and data for several parks existing since the 1950s are old and not reliable.
• More recent forest inventories exist for parks established since 1990.

Sources: BC Parks, Strategic Land Use Planning

Related maps: Protected Areas (PDF), Special Management Zones (PDF)

Detailed information: Indicator 2-2 (Excel)

• MP (1999) 1.1.c, 1.1.d
• CCFM (1995) 1.1.3
• CCFM (2003) 1.1.2

Indicator 2-3

How has the geographic distribution of protected forests changed?

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• Protecting forests in all parts of the province is important to ensure well-distributed protection of biological diversity. Ecological classification with ecosections based on climate and physiography is used for general conservation and wildlife management. It is better suited for analyzing geographic distribution than biogeoclimatic classification.
• Between 1991 and 2002, the area protected increased in 115 of the 132 terrestrial ecosections. The number with 12% or more of their forest area protected increased from 17 to 43, the number with 6–12% protected increased from 12 to 26, and the number with 1–6% protected increased from 25 to 38. As a result, the number of ecosections with less than 1% of their forests protected decreased from 78 to 25.
• In some parts of the province, protected areas were concentrated in ecosections with high conservation values.
• In other parts of the province, protected areas were intentionally limited in some ecosections with high economic development opportunities.

Information

• Data on the areas of total forests and protected forests by ecosection are reliable.

Sources: BC Parks, Ecoregions of BC

Related maps: Protected Areas (PDF), Level of Land Protection by Ecosection (PDF)

Detailed information: Indicator 2-3 (Excel)

• MP (1999) 1.1.c
• CCFM (1995) 1.1.3
• CCFM (2003) 1.1.2

Indicator 2-4

How much of B.C.’s older forests is protected?

larger versions – HTML | PDF | Excel — Biogeoclimatic zone descriptions

• Older forests provide specialized habitats that play a significant role in maintaining biological diversity. Some are also appreciated for spiritual values. Protecting forests helps prevent the loss of these values for the long time required to grow older forests. Protected older forests are, however, still subject to natural disturbances such as wildfire and pests.
• The area of protected forests over 140 years old has doubled since 1991 to 3.6 million ha (63% of all protected forests). This includes 1.5 million ha over 250 years old (27% of all protected forests). These areas represent 15% and 19%, respectively, of B.C.’s forests of those ages.
• In low-elevation biogeoclimatic zones, 13% of forests over 140 years are protected. In high-elevation zones, 18% are protected.
• Relatively few intact older forests remain in the heavily settled Coastal Douglas-fir, Ponderosa Pine and Interior Douglas-fir zones, but 10%, 8% and 9%, respectively, of the forests over 140 years old are protected.
• The Sub-Boreal Pine–Spruce zone has a small area of forest over 250 years old (see Indicator 1-4), and most of it is within protected areas.
• About 60-65% of the area of protected older forests has trees over 20 m tall. These are often ecologically and culturally important.
• Protected forests considered old growth cover 3.7 million ha (64% of all protected forests). This amounts to 15% of B.C.’s total old growth area.

Information

• Age data are not reliable for about half of the protected areas.

Sources:  Resource Information, MoF’s Forest Science

Related maps: Protected Areas (PDF), Forest Age (PDF), Biogeoclimatic Zones (PDF)

Detailed information: Indicator 2-4 (Excel)

• MP (1999) 1.1.c, 1.1.d
• CCFM (1995) 1.1.3
• CCFM (2003) 1.1.2

 

Indicator 2 – Protected forests What does this indicator tell us about sustainable forest management? State good Protected areas provide natural habitats for plants and animals, areas for scientific study, and wilderness for a wide variety of recreational, cultural and spiritual pursuits. About 10% of B.C.’s forests are legally protected and meet the standards for IUCN categories I to III. They are reasonably representative of most of the province’s forest ecosystems, with a desirable emphasis on older forests. Their geographic distribution reflects intentional balancing of conservation with economic and social priorities. Maintaining ecological processes and natural habitats is also a priority in large areas of forest outside protected areas. While these areas may not qualify as IUCN categories IV to VI, their management objectives may be similar to those of one or more IUCN categories. Trend improving The area of protected forests has more than doubled since 1991, as has the area of protected forests over 140 years old. Representation of most biogeoclimatic zones has improved and the geographic distribution of protected forests among ecosections has also improved. Many forest ecosystems still present a wide range of choices for protecting or developing forests. Information partial Management of currently protected forests and decisions to protect additional areas depend on information about the forests, their conservation values, and expected benefits and costs of ongoing protection. Detailed data and 1:250,000 maps of the biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification are available for the whole province, including protected areas. The broad ecosystem inventory is also available and may be sufficient for some decisions regarding the selection and management of protected forests. Detailed forest cover inventories are available for many protected forests, but only the less reliable 1950s inventory and satellite imagery are available for about half of the protected forests. Furthermore, detailed forest cover inventories primarily address timber values, not conservation values.