Wildlife: British Columbia is Canada's most biologically diverse province

280 mammal species

500 bird species

21 amphibian species

17 reptile species

50 000 to 70 000 invertebrate species

Some of our more recognizable species: shrew, mole, bat, rabbit, pika, beaver, vole, lemming, mouse, porcupine,

gopher, squirrel, chipmunk, coyote, wolf, fox, cougar, lynx, bobcat, otter, wolverine, marten, fisher, skunk, ermine,

weasel, raccoon, black bear, grizzly bear, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, moose, deer, elk, caribou.

Area: (1992-1993)

B.C. Total - 94 780 000 hectares

Land ownership: 94% public

Reforestation: (1992-93)

Planted: 210 888 000 seedlings on 180 592 hectares (Crown land)

215 606 000 seedlings on 184 823 hectares (Crown and private land)

Prescribed natural regeneration = 50 per cent of all harvested areas (to be reforested within 3-5 years)

Seedling survival rate (after 2 years) = 87 per cent

Total number seedlings planted to date: more than three billion (three billionth planted in 1993-1994 season)

Fire protection: (1992-1993)

Area burned by wildfire - 30 452 hectares

Volume lost to wildfire - 2, 731 300 cubic metres

10 year average - 62 630 hectares

Recreation facilities: (1992-1993)

recreation sites: 1310

trails for public use (providing 5270 kilometres of trail): 541

Recreation visit to forests: (1992-1993)

Recreation sites - 1 785 000 visitors

Trails - 541 000 visitors

Protected areas: (September 1994)

Fully protected areas (national parks, provincial parks, ecological reserves - 6 414 754 hectares (6.8 per cent)

Partially protected or other designations (recreation and wilderness areas, underdesignated) - 1 001 099

hectares (1.1 per cent)

Total area in parks and protected areas - 7 400 000 hectares (7.9 per cent)

Protected Areas Strategy study area - 10 147 859 hectares (10. 7 per cent)

These figures include the 23 newly created provincial parks on Vancouver Island which total approximately 90 000

hectares.

Fisheries: 85 freshwater fish species

Commercial species = coho, chinook, sockeye, pink, chum salmon, cutthroat, rainbow, brook Dolly Varden, lake trout, arctic grayling, lake whitefish.

Catch in 1993 - 303 400 tonnes

Average annual harvest - 290 000 tonnes

Compared to historical catches: five year average from 1987-1991 - 291 206 tonnes

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