Climate
Landscape
Soil
Vegetation
Wildlife
Human Use

Climate: Total annual precipitation (mm) 456 Annual snowfall (cm) 147 Water deficit (mm) 180 Mean July temperature (C) +16.3 Mean January temperature (C) -18.9 The climate is subhumid and cool, marked by short, cool summers and long, cold winters. Although still a subarctic climate, this region is warmer and moister than the Churchill River Upland ecoregion. Landscape: The landscape is a rolling glacial plain with loamy glacial till and outwash sands and gravels. The whole of the region slopes gently and drains eastward via the Saskatchewan and Churchill rivers and their tributaries which drain numerous lakes. GPS: 54d 01.24m N, 104d 32.63m W, 1967 feet 12 July 96, 10:30 am, Fuji Velvia 50, F8 1/125s 110 foot tall Narrow Hills Ranger Tower. GPS: 56d 42.36m N, 109d 02.73m W, 1758 feet 06 July 96, 12:30 pm, Fuji Velvia 50, F8 1/30s 35 kms south of Clearwater Provincial Park on route #995. GPS: 55d 22.22m N, 107d 55.76m W, 1243 feet 06 July 96, 3:40 pm, Fuji Velvia 50, F8 1/60s This bridge crosses the Canoe River on #155 about 120 kms north of Green Lake. GPS: 52d 34.62m N, 101d 47.39m W, 2354 feet 13 July 96, 7:00 pm, Fuji Velvia 50, F8 1/30s 35 kms south of highway #3 on #980. GPS: 53d 35.11m N, 106d 03.01m W, 1664 feet 11 July 96, 1:50 pm, Fuji Velvia 50, F8 1/250s Just off highway #263 in the southern end of Prince Albert National Park. GPS: 53d 30.97m N, 102d 24.41m W, 1412 feet 16 July 96, 2:00 pm, Fuji Velvia 50, F11 1/60s The Rice River, 22 kms west of the junction of #9 and #55. Soil: The soils vary, loamy, clayey and sandy soils can be found. Vegetation: Forest fires have altered the vegetation of this region, as evidenced by the limited amount of white spruce and balsam fir and the prevalence of the fire-adapted aspen, pine and black spruce. The forest is a mixture of coniferous and deciduous trees. Balsam poplar, trembling aspen and white birch are the main deciduous trees. with American elm, Manitoba maple and green ash occurring in some areas. Deciduous species tend to be less abundant in the eastern section of the region. Where they occur, there is a dense understory of shrubs and herbs. Peat moss and Labrador tea are associated with black spruce. Reindeer moss, a lichen, can be found in mixed stands of black spruce and jack pine in moist areas. There are also treeless, wet sedge fens. Common shrubs include honeysuckle, elderberry, green alder, mountain maple, willow, blueberry and bearberry. Common plants are bunchberry, twinflower, sarsaparillas dewberry, horsetail and ostrich fern. Grasses are also common. Wildlife: Large numbers of moose (shown left) inhabit the area, along with black bear, white-tailed deer, elk, muskrats and waterfowl. This productive forest area hosts a great abundance and variety of all fur bearers. Bird diversity is relatively low. Human Use: Significant pulp wood and local saw log forestry, trapping and hunting are the dominant land uses. The land is also used for commercial and sport fishing, rural residences, roads, municipal and recreation developments, ranching, farming, community pastures and mineral development. Arable agriculture is limited to small holdings on clayey soils in the lowlands along rivers and streams where drainage has been improved.