Afforestation on private land in Canada from 1990 to 2002 estimated from historical records

• Published in: Forestry chronicle Vol. 81; no. 4; pp. 491 - 497
• Main Authors: White, T.M, Kurz, W.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-07-2005
• ISSN: 0015-7546; 1499-9315
• DOI: 10.5558/tfc81491-4

Information on afforestation on private lands in Canada from 1990 to 2002 was compiled from a variety of sources in support of the Government of Canada's Feasibility Assessment of Afforestation for Carbon Sequestration (FAACS) initiative. Data collection focused on afforestation that was verifiable and consistent with definitions in the Kyoto Protocol. Analysis of the dataset provides insight into the scale, scope and trends in afforestation activity in Canada. Most of the planting occurred in Quebec and Ontario. Ninety-five percent of the afforestation events were smaller than 10 ha. The national average area planted in an afforestation event is 2 ha. Regional averages were higher in the west than in the east. The annual area planted declined from 1990 to 2002 in most provinces, though the Prairie Provinces were an exception. The data agree with other sources of information on afforestation activity in Canada. An analysis of carbon sequestration in the plantations documented in the FAACS database is presently underway and will be reported in the near future.