A glance at any map showing the natural features of Ontario reveals a vast swath of forest that covers two-thirds of the province. From the tolerant hardwoods and deciduous forests in the south, to the boreal forest in the north, our forests have helped shape our province and will continue to do so for many generations to come.
Ontario’s forests cover a land area equivalent in size to the landmasses of Germany, Italy and the Netherlands combined. We have over 71 million hectares of forest, which represents about 17 percent of Canada’s forest and 2% of the world’s forest. About 90 percent of forested lands in Ontario are Crown land which is provincially owned and managed.
Ontario’s forests are relative newcomers, sitting on lands that were shaped by continental glaciers, water and wind just 15,000 years ago. The trees became established on what was then a barren landscape as the ice retreated and waters receded south.
Learn more about:
There are four main kinds of forest regions in Ontario, each with unique characteristics and species. They range from:
- Hudson Bay Lowlands in the far north
- Boreal forest region in northern Ontario
- Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest region in southern and central Ontario
- deciduous forest region in southern Ontario
Most of Ontario’s population lives within the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence and deciduous forest regions.
Read more » Facts about Ontario Forests
