Category: Boreal Transition

Muskwa-Slave Lake and Northern Cordillera Forests

December 5, 2018

  In northern Alberta and British Columbia, two boreal forest ecoregions occupy the landscape. The Muskwa-Slave Lake Forests include the area east of the Rocky Mountains and east to Wood Buffalo National Park. The Northern Cordillera forests are in the northern Rocky Mountains. Muskwa-Slave Lake Forests The Muskwa-Slave Lake Forests ecoregion is in northern Alberta … More Muskwa-Slave Lake and Northern Cordillera Forests

British Columbia Coastal Forests

November 7, 2018

This posts includes information about three ecoregions north of the 50th parallel that are in the coastal area of British Columbia–British Columbia Mainland Coastal Forests, Central Pacific Coastal Forests, and Puget Lowland Forests. British Columbia Mainland coastal forests (NA506) The most extensive mountain fiord complex in the world exists where the Cascades, Kitimat, and Ness … More British Columbia Coastal Forests

Central British Columbia Mountain Forests

August 1, 2018

This ecoregion includes the Rocky Mountain trench, the Hart Range, Muskwa Range, Omineca Mountains, and Skeena Mountains. At low elevations, western red cedar, western hemlock, lodgepole pine, quaking aspen, white spruce, and black spruce are present. At higher elevations, Engelmann spruce and alpine fir are characteristic of the ecoregion. Animals include woodland caribou, elk, moose, … More Central British Columbia Mountain Forests

Alberta Mountain Forests

July 6, 2018

The precipitous eastern slopes of the Rockies are included in this ecoregion, which is centered on the Columbia icefield. Also common are hanging glaciers, alpine meadows, and waterfalls. At lower elevations are mixed forests of lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce, and alpine fir. Big game is prominent, with bighorn sheep, elk, black-tailed deer, wolf, grizzly, caribou, … More Alberta Mountain Forests

Alberta-British Columbia Foothills Forests, Part B

June 3, 2018

This entry describes the northern parts of the Alberta-British Columbia Foothills Forests, drained by the North Saskatchewan, Athabasca, and Peace Rivers. Parks in this ecoregion include waterfalls, canyons, and glacial features. Cultural features include trading post sites and Sudeten heritage. North Saskatchewan River Area To the west and north of Rocky Mountain House, public lands … More Alberta-British Columbia Foothills Forests, Part B

Alberta-British Columbia Foothills Forests, Part A

May 6, 2018

This ecoregion is delineated as transitional between boreal forests and Rocky Mountain vegetation. There are linear ridges, rolling plateaus, and broad valleys to the east of the Alberta Mountain forests and Central British Columbia Mountain forests ecoregions. There are three discontinuous sections. The southernmost and smallest is south of the Bow River and west of … More Alberta-British Columbia Foothills Forests, Part A

Mid-Canadian Boreal Forests, Part B: Athabasca, Lac La Biche, and Oil Sands Areas

April 4, 2018

This article describes features of the boreal forests north of Edmonton in Alberta. The area is drained by the Athabasca and North Saskatchewan Rivers, and these are used to group the parks and public lands described. In addition to the boreal jack pine and spruce forests, natural features include transverse dunes, floating sedge mats, orchid … More Mid-Canadian Boreal Forests, Part B: Athabasca, Lac La Biche, and Oil Sands Areas

Mid-Canadian Boreal Forests, Part A: Central Alberta Lakes

March 1, 2018

Mid-Canadian Boreal Forests is new ecoregion established in the 2017 ecoregion delineation. It combined parts of the Canadian Aspen Forests and Parkland ecoregion with the Mid-Continental Canadian forests. The sites listed here include the former Mid-Continental Canadian forests as well as that portion of the Mid-Canadian Boreal forests that were formerly in the Canadian Aspen … More Mid-Canadian Boreal Forests, Part A: Central Alberta Lakes

Peace River Parklands

February 3, 2018

This ecoregion is found in Alberta and British Columbia. The Peace River parklands were lumped into the Mid-Canadian Boreal Forests ecoregion in the 2017 delineation. These sites were formerly part of the Canadian Aspen Forests and Parklands ecoregion and the separation is maintained here because of their distinctive grassland characteristics and local distinction as the … More Peace River Parklands