Forest Land Capability

1. Potential Natural Vegetation Types
In Natural disturbance regimes for implementation of ecological forestry: a review and case study from Nova Scotia, Canada by D.A. Maclean et al., Environmental Reviews 4 August 2021, Table 3, 91.2 percent of the area of NS is Potentially Forest; non forest is 8.8% (4.5% freshwater. 4.3% Other including barrens, open wetlands, salt marshes, coastal beaches, dunes, urban areas). So  allowing  for seasonal and permanent settlements of indigenous peoples, pre-columbian forest cover in NS was likely circa 90% of the area.
2. Maps From
Canada Land Inventory – Land Capability for Forestry, Nova Scotia (Interactive Map)
Title: Canada Land Inventory – Land Capability for Forestry, Nova Scotia
Credits: Government of Canada,National Archives of Canada,Visual and Sound Archives Division
Publication Date: 1985
Publisher: Government of Canada, National Archives of Canada, Visual and Sound Archives DivisionGo to the Interactive Map to enlarge a particular area.A compiled map for all of NS is also available here (3867 x 2535 px), and is shown below.

Compiled Map. Click on map to enlarge it, You may have to download it and open in computer to see at full scale.