In British Columbia, the rich diversity of species is manifested yet again in the large number of bryophytes in the province. There are approximately 700 documented species of mosses and 250 species of liverworts and hornworts. This represents more than three-quarters of the total bryoflora in Canada, and160 species are found only in this province (Schofield, 1994).

Bryophytes that are most at risk are those that are at the extremes of their ranges, restricted endemics, or those that are rare throughout their range. Those that are in greatest need of protection include those found in semi-arid regions and along watercourses in old-growth forests (Schofield, 1994).

The draft provincial tracking list (January 13, 1998) for mosses identifies 368 species at risk (103 RED list, 265 BLUE list).