Area of forest cut on public land each year, 1970-2018

THIS GRAPH ILLUSTRATES that, since the early 1970s, the area being clearcut each year on public land in BC is growing steadily even though the volume of wood obtained has fallen. This reflects the steady increase in the proportion of lower-volume second-growth clearcutting taking place as old-growth forests are steadily liquidated. To get the same volume from second-growth forests, a significantly larger area needs to be cut. Unless the size of the forest industry in BC is reduced, the cumulative impacts of having such a large area of the provincial forest in a bare, clearcut state, or as young regrowth, will be significant. The negative impacts on wildlife habitat, hydrological function and the risk of fire will all grow.

Many thanks to Dave Leversee for the number crunching for this graph.