Quality BC coastal forest products
British Columbia is recognized as a global leader in sustainable forest management and provides customers around the world with an array of quality forest products. BC’s coast forest region covers 16.5 million hectares and has five commercially available coniferous species, each with its own unique characteristics. Due to the temperate climate conditions and longer harvest rotation, the trees tend to be larger than those in the interior of the province.
This publication provides information about the coastal softwood species of British Columbia and it offers a high-level overview of the most commonly produced and exported lumber products from BC’s coastal species, and their intended end uses, including:
- Western hemlock/amabilis fir
- Douglas-fir
- Western red cedar
- Yellow cedar
BC softwood species are strong and resilient, with aesthetic properties that are suitable for a wide range of applications, including framing, flooring, timber frame construction, doors, windows, joinery and furniture, bridge, dock, and marine uses. While it speaks generally to grades, it is not a grading manual. It is intended to support high-level discussion and education in export markets.