BC Forest Facts
Age of Trees: Today, BC has more forests that are over a century old than it did 40 years ago - 25 million hectares (62 million acres) compared to 18 million hectares (44 million acres). And there are 13 million hectares (32 million acres) of forests older than 160 years, compared to only 10 million hectares (25 million acres) four decades ago (based on MoF comparison with 1957 inventory).
Wood Species
How to choose the right species of wood.
Choosing the species of tree for your log home can be as important as your floorplan or any other design. Not all species of tree have the same characteristics, so your decision can be based just as much on visual preferences as it is on the needs of your environment. Below is a recap of the species that Canada's Log People uses when building Log Homes.
Our homes are built primarily with Engelmann Spruce, Douglas Fir and Lodgepole Pine, although we use Western Red Cedar on occasion. The logs we use are an average of 12-16 inches in mean diameter, and the tight-grained timber is between 80 and 140 years old. We put a high priority on sustainable forestry; Canada’s Log People selectively harvests its timber from designated forestry areas, which are then replanted within two years. We put back what nature gave us. Our log harvesting is done mostly in the winter when the sap is down. The logs are then air-dried through the year to a desired moisture content of 20 percent or less. As a further measure of quality, over 95 percent of our timber meets the highest premium/select grade standard of the Timber Products Inspection grading agency.
Douglas Fir
A large tree, reaching heights of 85 metres on the coast and 42 metres in the Interior. Older trees have a long, branch-free trunk and a short cylindrical crown with a flattened top... More about Douglas Fir here.
Engelmann Spruce
Canada's Log People build homes out of Engelmann Spruce, a straight tree that can grow to 50 metres tall. The Engelmann Spruce is a species of spruce native to western North America, including central BC...More about Engelmann Spruce
Lodgepole Pine
Canada's Log People use Lodgepole Pine, a tall, slender, straight tree which grows throughout most of the Interior and is excellent for the construction of Log Homes...More about Lodgepole Pine
