Species Reports

The amount of information in the species summary reports differs for commercial and minor species. For minor species we present summary information on species distribution, ecology, reproduction, genetics and in situ conservation status. For the more widely studied commercial species we only focus on distribution and in situ conservation status.  For the operational species in the provincial tree breeding program, a summary of in, inter and ex situ protection conservation is given based on SPUs.  A brief overview of the distribution/protected area methodology and the information sources for the conservation status summaries is given below.

Species Distribution

For each tree species in BC we post a species distribution map overlain with protected areas. The distribution maps show a species range in terms of % cover. The cover values were obtained from the provincial ecology program’s inventory plots. Cover values were compiled and mapped (using GIS) on the level of BGC subzone/variant. From these maps the total range and “relative” importance of a species by geographic area can be determined. Species range information is also given in terms of arial extent (ha) in two scale diagrams. The value marked with the black arrow in the “total range” scale diagram represents the total land area of the subzones/variants where the species might be found in some proportion. The value is generated by summing the land area for the subzones/variants where the species is know to occur (ie. species occurred in an inventory plot(s) located somewhere in the subzone/variant). The potential range can be compared to that of other BC species by examining the relative position of the arrows. The red arrow indicates the smallest range of all BC tree species and the green arrow the largest. The portion (ha) of the species range which is protected (i.e. falls within a Protected Area(s)) is given in “protected portion” scale diagram. The coloured arrows (other than black) in the “total range” and “protected portion” scale diagrams do not necessarily represent the same species. For example, logdepole pine has the largest total range (ha) while subalpine fir has the largest protected portion (ha).

More information on the methodology and additional statistics can be found in the publication: Hamann, A., Smets, P., Aitken, S. N. and Yanchuk, A. D. 2005. An ecogeographic framework for in situ conservation of forest trees in British Columbia. Can. J. For. Res. 35:2553-256.  The species range and in situ conservation statistics have also been calculated by BGC zone and are available for download.

Conservation status summary

The in situ conservation summaries given for species outside of the provincial breeding program are direct extracts from the report “Forest Tree Genetic Conservation Status Report 1: In situ conservation status of all indigenous BC species“.  For BC’s operational tree species, the summaries of in situ, inter situ (experimental populations that comprise the breeding and testing program) and ex situ (primarily stored seed collections) conservation status  are direct extracts from “Forest Tree Genetic Conservation Status Report 2: genetic conservation status of operational tree species“.  Conservation statistics are calculated on the zone level for all species except the operational species where calculations are based on SPUs.  Both reports, joint publications by the Centre for Forest Conservation Genetics and the BC Ministry of Forests and Range, are available online at:

C. Chourmouzis, A.D. Yanchuk, A. Hamann, P. Smets, and S.N. Aitken. 2009. Forest Tree Genetic Conservation Status Report 1: In situ conservation status of all indigenous BC species. Centre for Forest Conservation Genetics, Forest Genetics Council of BC, and BC Ministry of Forests and Range, Forest Science Program, Victoria, BC Technical Report 053. www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/Tr/Tr053.htm

Krakowski J, C. Chourmouzis, A.D. Yanchuk, D. Kolotelo, A. Hamann, and S.N. Aitken. 2009. Forest Tree Genetic Conservation Status Report 2: genetic conservation status of operational tree species. Centre for Forest Conservation Genetics, Forest Genetics Council of British Columbia, and B.C. Min. For. Range, For. Sci. Prog. Victoria, B.C. Tech. Rep. 054. www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/Tr/Tr054.htm