Coastal trees and forests are categorized as old growth once they reach 250 years of age. While in the Interior, forests are labelled old growth when the trees are 140 years of age or more. In BC, there are 13.7 million hectares of old growth trees.

Of the 11.4 million hectares of old growth in BC, approximately 8.5 million hectares are protected in parks and other forms such as old-growth reserves, areas for other resource values such as wildlife, birds, cultural values, and hydrological considerations, or areas not within the timber harvesting land base. Have more questions? Keep scrolling!

This is the big question, and it has a big (and complex) answer! Old growth forests are being logged for many reasons, and you can read about it here.

Once any harvesting has been done, including old growth trees, three new trees are planted for every one tree harvested. They then become the trees that will be harvested within the 23% of BC that is considered our long-term forest land in the future.