Unmanaged cedar (Thuja plicata)-hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) forests of the northern Interior Wetbelt of British Columbia support standing and dead trees with a variety of structural features that provide habitat for wildlife. We describe the pre-harvest abundance and characteristics of wildlife trees (standing trees with special characteristics that provide habitat for wildlife) and coarse woody debris (CWD) at three silvicultural systems trials in cedar-dominated stands, and the short-term effects of forest harvesting on the abundance and attributes of CWD. The treatments were clearcut, group retention (70% volume removal), group selection (30% volume removal), and unlogged control. We measured standing trees in 75 0.125-ha plots and CWD along 225 24-m transects, using a functional classification system to characterize habitat attributes of trees and logs. CWD assessments were repeated on the same transects after the harvest. The relationship between tree size and occurrence of habitat features was strong for both standing trees and logs. Each of the four major tree species in the study area was associated with specific habitat features that occurred more often in that species than in any other. Large concealed spaces at the bases of trees, providing den sites and escape cover, were associated with hybrid white spruce (Picea engelmannii×glauca). We suggest that these trees had originated on nurse logs that subsequently rotted away; if that supposition is correct, there may be shortages of these structures in future stands that originate from plantations. Forest harvesting had little effect on the volume of CWD, but did affect the decay class distribution, reduce the proportion of pieces having structural habitat attributes, and reduce piece lengths; these effects were generally proportional to the level of harvest removal. Partial-cut silvicultural systems have the potential to mitigate anticipated deficits in large wildlife trees and logs in managed stands, if components of the stand are managed on longer rotations than those planned for timber production alone.